“I have made a satisfactory dinner . . . simply off a dish of purslan (Portulaca oleracea) which I gathered in my cornfield, boiled and salted. . . . Yet men have come to such a pass that they frequently starve, not for want of necessaries but for want of luxuries.”
Henry David Thoreau “Walden”
Purslane
Purslane is probably the most unappreciated vegetable that is sneakily growing in your yard. It is low in Cholesterol. It is also 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.* It is the best source of Omega 3 fatty acids of any leafy plant.
Purslane is wildly versatile, you can eat it by itself as a salad, I add a little lemon juice, salt and pepper, that’s it. In Mexico it is popular as a cooked vegetable and also used in stews both for flavor and as a thickener. In Greece, where the culinary and medicinal use of purslane dates back 2,000 years, it is served as a salad with a yogurt dressing. It can be pickled in apple cider vinegar with garlic cloves and peppercorns for use in the winter.
More purslane
If looking at these photos gets you a little upset and anxious because you’ve been fighting this “weed” for years, hopefully this information will give it a shot at redemption. The phenomenal success of this plant is due to the fact that a single specimen can produce up to 52,300 seeds and these seeds can survive for up to 30 years in undisturbed soil. It is tenacious and invasive and it’s not going away anytime soon, may as well make friends with it and take advantage of this excellent food source.
The reason that Thoreau found purslane in his corn field is that it is a perfect companion plant for corn, the long roots burrowing down first so that the corn roots can then follow. These same roots bring moisture and nutrients up to the surface for other plants to make use of. It is considered a beneficial weed even if you don’t eat it.
In his Naturalis Historia (circa AD 77-79), Pliny the Elder recommends wearing this succulent as an amulet to expel evil. Current quackery bestows the plant with anti-depressant qualities, among other “medical” uses.
Spurge invading the purslane
There is a weed that almost always accompanies purslane and when you’re harvesting, you’ll want to avoid it. Although Spurge shares some of the growth characteristics of purslane, it doesn’t really look all that similar. It can be tricky though and grow in with your harvest. If it does, you’re likely to notice it because it has a milky sap that is irritating to the skin. It’s something to watch out for because if you accidentally eat some, it will make you sick.
Recent Comments