Purslane has been on my list of vegetables to explore. I am growing it this year, with intention! It’s been one of the things I weeded out of our gardens every year, but on a trip to San Francisco last fall, my sister and I freaked out about the side dish on our plate. Sitting next to the salmon tartar and elderberry scone and my sister’s wild boar hash was this beautiful, delicate vegetable sautéed in olive oil, lemon and garlic. Olive oil, garlic and lemon so of course it was delicious, but it was the textural experience that really blew me away. That and the fact that I was drooling over something I had been hosting in my garden for years. After that amazing meal, I decided to make this a part of our growing season. I ordered seeds earlier in the season, but we lucked out. Before I could get them in the ground, appearing on the edge of every row, we found the powerful purslane.
Purslane is a superfood for sure. It’s a tasty little succulent that could be considered one of our overlooked, maybe forgotten, but most valuable vegetables. It has more heart-healthy components than most foods. There are more omega-3 fatty acids than any other leafy vegetable and its iron and protein elements come in stronger than lacinato kale. On top of that, purslane has more magnesium, Vit A and Vit E and studies show that it contains more potassium than bananas. So what people consider to be a pesty plant really packs in some sought after elements. Maybe consider giving this succulent a little room in your garden. It’s hearty, drought resistant and delicious.
We’ll be testing purslane recipes and sharing in weeks to come. Can’t wait!!!