Purslane - the Best Vegetable You've Never Had

Put this Nutrional Powerhouse on Your Dinner Plate.

Jul 24, 2008 Jacqueline Church

Superfoods are a hot trend. What about weeds? One man's weed is another man's dinner. Nutritional powerhouse Purslane should be in your next dinner.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is often overlooked. Or stepped over, or yanked out as a pest by many a home gardener. In fact, it's one of the world's top pervasive weeds. But this succulent is not only tasty, it's a true superfood. Let's get acquainted with pourpier, duckweed or Purslane as it's commonly known in the US.

Herb or vegetable?

This lemony, crisp nutritional powerhouse is neither, it's actually a succulent. This accounts for its resemblance to a jade plant, and its water content. Many describe it as similar to arugula or spinach. It's less bitter than arugula and less tannic than spinach. It can be prepared in many of the same ways as either.

In terms of nutrition, it's a good source of Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6 and Folate, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

More good news: recent research has confirmed that purslane is one of the best vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids. “Purslane is one of the richest sources of ALA (alpha linolenic acid), which is a precursor to DHA. In other words, if you can't eat fish, purslane helps fight heart disease and stroke, too.” Kate Geagan, a dietician and leading nutrition consultant.

The New York Times Well Blog recently ran a story entitled The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating.

How does Purslane stack up?

Purslane kicks nutritional booty as compared to four superfoods on that list:

• Cabbage - Purslane has more vitamin C.
• Beets - Purslane has more vitamin A.
• Swiss Chard - Purslane has more iron, calcium.
• Frozen Blueberries - Purslane has more iron, calcium.

The French call it “pourpier” and often serve it with fish, for which its citrusy flavor is a natural complement. And speaking of French, at Thomas Keller's French Laundry they serve green, baby purslane. At Per Se, golden purslane is served in its infancy as a micro-green. Many elegant recipes call for stripping away the stems, but don't be too hasty. They are a nice flavor and texture component, to say nothing of the nutrients there.

One "Suite" Recipe for Purslane -

Potato Salad With Purslane and Fresh Herbs

Time: 20 minutes

5 small red bliss or new potatoes, or 12 fingerlings

1/3 C low fat mayonnaise, or as needed or combination mayonnaise and Greek style yogurt

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced or 1/4 red onion diced

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

2 teaspoons chopped chervil

1 TBPS pickle relish or chopped cornichons

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon lemon juice, or pickle juice, to taste

1 1/2 to 2 cups purslane with tender stems, cut into 1- to 2-inch lengths, or 3/4 cup purslane leaves.

1. Place potatoes in cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain well.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise (or mayo/yogurt mix), onions, dill and herbs. Season with salt, pepper and pickle juice to taste.

3. Slice potatoes in chunks, removing as much skin as easily comes off. Leave as much on as you can depending on the type of potatoes you've got. Add potatoes to mixing bowl, and toss gently to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste.

4. Add purslane, fold together with potatoes, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings as side, two as main.

Did you know?

• Greeks made flour from the seeds which are tiny, about the size of poppy seeds. This underscores how prolific the edible weed is.
• Indian and Greek herbalists celebrate its healing qualities and ancient Greeks even wore purslane as an amulet against evil.
• Medieval herbal sources describe purslane as ‘cold,’ meaning that it was considered a cure for a ‘burning’ (or malfunctioning) heart and liver.
• Greeks call it a ‘blood-cleansing’ herb.
• In Mexico, purslane is considered good for diabetics. It's often cooked with pork and tomatillos.

Many farmers' markets are now carrying purslane, but if you can't find it there, ask any neighbor who has a garden. They probably just plucked buckets of it out!

The copyright of the article Purslane - the Best Vegetable You've Never Had in Gourmet Food is owned by Jacqueline Church. Permission to republish Purslane - the Best Vegetable You've Never Had in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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