This is for requesting information, recipes, problem-solving etc.
We have Susan’s Purslane Potato Salad (done 2 ways – one vegan) coming soon! Bob says it’s the best potato salad he’s ever tasted!
Please share your favorite natural recipe or tip with us!
Sustainable Big Ivy 
Sounds good! Today I took to the Tailgate Mkt. a give-away bag of purslane samples. I’ve been cultivating it for a couple of years. I’ll upload here some of Ila Hatter’s recipes for using it, from her book ROADSIDE RAMBLES. Meanwhile, it is delicious raw in just about anything you can think of–as the green on a sandwich, a sprig of it on a lunch plate, roughly chopped in green salads (stems and leaves), added to cold pasta mixtures, etc. Don’t worry if you see tiny black specks when you wash it; they are the seeds and are edible. Ditto the tiny yellow flowers. You perhaps already know about its reported high nutritional content. It has been cultivated for about two millennia and until recently was common in French country gardens. It’s coming back there, as here, I’m told. Cooked, it has a somewhat slimy character, like okra, but if chopped fine and added to soups and stews, it disappears, while acting as a thickening agent.
By: Melinda Stuart on July 19, 2008
at 3:55 pm
Thank you Melinda! I am enjoying some of the purslane you so generously shared with the Tailgaters.
I came home and placed some raw purslane in my VitaMix and added homemade almond milk, organic eggs, protein powder, unsweetened cocoa, organic apple cider vinegar, stevia and including the purslane (stems and all) because of its superior nutrition.
I plan to be adding it to all our salads, stir fries and other dishes. Please pass on recipes using this wonderful weed!
Can you give us some tips on cultivating the purslane for our gardens? It seems like an invaluable addition.
Thank you.
By: vickilynn on July 19, 2008
at 4:04 pm
Purslane-Potato Salad
Susan Broadhead
Purslane makes this familiar dish seem ambrosial.
6 medium potatoes, sliced and cooked
2 cups purslane, chopped
4 scallions, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise (or vegan mayo)
Mix together all ingredients. Serve chilled.
Serves 6
By: vickilynn on July 19, 2008
at 4:09 pm
Perfect Purslane Salad (Vegan)
Susan Broadhead
The combination of this simple salad with a simple dressing is simply delicious (and very healthful).
2 cups purslane leaves and stems, chopped
2 cooked potatoes, chopped
4 cups mesclun salad greens or wild greens (i.e., lamb’s quarters, lady’s thumb, Asiatic dayflower)
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
1 red bell pepper, chopped
Mix together all ingredients, toss with Creamy Cashew Salad Dressing, and serve
Serves 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Creamy Cashew Salad Dressing
This is the perfect dressing for a wild green salad.
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons canola or sunflower oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup mellow (light-colored) miso
2 cloves of garlic
2 common spicebush berries, or 1 teaspoon allspice, ground
Purée all ingredients in a blender.
Makes 1-1/2 cups
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
By: vickilynn on July 19, 2008
at 4:12 pm
Source: Kate Mathews, Folkwear
The Old Fire Station, Box 189
Barnardsville NC 28709
828-626-3100, fax 828-626-3030
http://www.folkwear.com
Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
A wonderful way to enjoy the essence of tomato.
4 lbs. plum tomatoes
2 TB olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise through the stem; larger tomatoes should be quartered through the stem. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the oil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Optional: Add a dash of oregano, marjoram, or thyme. Arrange tomatoes cut side up on a large baking sheet. Roast in a preheated 325-degree oven until they have lost most of their liquid and are beginning to brown, about 2-3 hours. They should look like dried apricots and hold their shape when moved. Cool. Use as an hors d’oeuvre, puree for sauces, or freeze for later use.
Peach Butter
A prize-winning recipe in which the finished butter takes on the subtle flavors of the spices without adding them directly to the peaches.
Peel and pit 4 lbs firm peaches (blanch in boiling water for 3-4 minutes to ease peeling, if necessary). Slice into a pot and cover with 2 cups water. Cook over medium heat until mushy, then let cool a bit. Blend or process to an even consistency and measure into a bowl. Put back into pot and add 1/2 cup sugar for every 1 cup blended puree. Add a sprinkling of salt and a cheesecloth ball with whole allspice, cloves, and a broken cinnamon stick. Cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil and keep at medium boil, stirring constantly, until thick (about 1-1/2 hours). Remove the spice ball and ladle puree into sterilized jars. Process in a hot water bath for 12 minutes.
Onion Jam
A fantastic and flavorful carmelized onion relish that’s delicious with just about anything.
4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 TB olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Lightly sauté onions and garlic in the oil for 20-30 minutes, until onions are very soft. Add the sugar and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are dark brown and sticky, about another 20-30 minutes. Add vinegar and simmer for up to 5 minutes, until thickened slightly. Stir in rosemary.
By: vickilynn on August 7, 2008
at 11:09 pm
Purslane grows wild all over my yard. I will now have a new perspective on the plant. Most people here treat it as a weed. I find the blossom very attractive and let mine grow where they may.
By: sharon Connell on January 12, 2010
at 4:12 pm
So this is the Purslane that grows in my garden and fields? Had never thought to use it in recipes. I had heard that it could be steeped as tea for kidney ailments. Getting excited about spring so I can try these recipes.
By: janetlyons on January 15, 2010
at 9:29 pm