I don’t know how it happens every year. The beginning of June comes bounding in and the days of summer seem endless. All of the bike rides, canoe trips, and days laying on the hammock reading cookbooks stretch ahead so far into the horizon they can’t be seen, even with a good deal of squinting. And then as quickly as it came, we’re staring at August 20th on the calendar. Kids are toddling down the sidewalks with crisp folders, packets of lined paper, and fresh pencils in tow.
If there’s one major plus to the end of August it’s that the farmers market is filled to the gills with produce. When I was there on Saturday, it felt like they were giving it away. For twenty-five bucks I got a basket of onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash blossoms, and bell peppers, in addition to a couple of garlic heads, a leek, and a bunch of curly kale and purslane. And did I mention that it was all organic?
Purslane may be something that you don’t regularly have in your refrigerator. Also known as duckweed, pigweed, and cat’s tongue, it may be something you do regularly have in your yard. By some, it’s considered a weed. However, this leafy succulent that thrives in poor soils is used in many cuisines across the world, including Mexican, Greek, and Indian. In fact, it’s claimed to have been Gandhi’s favorite food. The leaves have a hearty texture that’s crisp and juicy and a taste that’s similar to spinach, but milder and with a hint of sweetness. The tender stems can be eaten; although I find that just pulling the leaves away from the thicker center stem makes for a prettier presentation and more pleasing mouth feel.
Purslane is rich in vitamins A, C, and E. It’s high in calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, and potassium. Perhaps best of all, it ranks the highest of all green leafy vegetables in omega 3 fatty acids. Add a vinaigrette made with flax oil, and it’s a veritable omega 3 feast. (Just a tablespoon of my favorite flax oil covers 500% of my omega 3 needs for the day.)
I’ve been using purslane as the base of a salad with cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, and carrots. Then I top it with a sweet vinaigrette that doesn’t blanket the flavor of the tender purslane, but allows it to peek through.
For this fruity vinaigrette, Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar from Trader Joe’s gives a colorful pop of citrus, but if you don’t have that on hand, feel free to substitute with any champagne vinegar, brown rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar. Add a handful of peanuts, and you have a tempting salad that’s perfect with crusty grilled garlic bread or baked tofu. One sweet and crunchy bite of this salad, and the dwindling days of summer may not be so hard to swallow after all.
Purslane Salad in an Orange Muscat Champagne Vinaigrette
Serves 2
- 1 ½ cups purslane, leaves pulled from hard center stem (If you don’t have purslane, spinach or watercress would be a lovely replacement.)
- 1 small cucumber, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small to medium-sized tomato, diced
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 1 Tbsp peanuts
Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of Orange Champagne Muscat Vinaigrette.
Orange Muscat Champagne Vinaigrette
Makes ¼ cup dressing
- 2 Tbsp flax oil
- 2 Tbsp Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar
- ¼ tsp stone-ground mustard
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp onion granules
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- Pinch of salt & pepper
Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
By the way, not everyone in my house is interested in “cat’s tongue.” This cat’s tongue, for example, prefers another farmers market find and so-called weed…
Purr-slane? No, thank you. I’ll take catnip.
I love a nice simple salad like this! And now I know what to do with all of the purslane I’ve been eyeing! TJ’s Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar is a pantry staple in our house too.
I love the last picture of your cat- talk about catching him in the act!
When the produce is so fresh and bursting with flavor, sometimes simple is all that’s needed! It allows you to focus on all of those juicy, summertime flavors.
Isn’t he adorable? David took several of him in his zone, chomping away on catnip. There were so many funny ones. It was hard to pick just one!
David is so stinkin’ lucky to have you to cook for him. Come to my house!!!
You’re so sweet! I’m on my way! Get the pugs ready for some serious cuddles!
Another veggie I’ve never heard of and now want to try! Plus, I love the pic of the kitty
I only discovered purslane recently as well, and yet it was used as medicine in India and Persia over 2,000 years ago! Isn’t it strange how vegetables that have been widely available all over the world for such a long period of time can be virtually unknown to many of us?
Your posts have been great inspiration to pick up the lesser used produce I spot at the farmers market. You had me mulling over zucchini blossoms this weekend. Now I’ll be on the look out for purslane. These are the days I dance all the way to the market!
Thanks, Lisa! I find myself dancing to the farmers market too. They are so many flavorful and colorful options right now! Plus, it’s a rare time that I try a new fruit or vegetable and don’t like it. It’s worth taking a chance on trying something different.
Oh no, don’t go away summer please. Lovely salad you got there, makes me feel better about going back to school. Had a nightmare about that last night.
Oh, that we could convince summer to stick around! Lucky for you, it doesn’t get too bad weather-wise in the Bay area!
that is interesting about purslane. I have never seen or used it back home. that dressing on all of that crunchy produce sounds super delicious.
and i think you will have to give me a primer on what you mean by summer. we have a couple of minutes of 90+ on saturday and we are back down to 60s. me thinks that does not qualify as summer
It sounds like you’re on the receiving end of summer in the way that Los Angeles is generally on the receiving end of winter. (There one has to wear a jacket for a couple of months, and then it’s back to tank tops and flip flops.) I hope you’ll at least get a few more summery days before fall arrives!
Hooray for purslane and farmer’s markets! Great colors and photos – looks so yummy and I love how good it is for you.
Hooray indeed! Thanks so much for introducing me to purslane! I’m hooked! I made a green smoothie the other day with purslane, frozen mango, frozen banana, and vanilla soy milk, and it was one of my favorite green smoothies to date. I’ve got to pick up more today!
I agree, it’s great how good it is for you. In looking up information about it, I saw that many claim it’s good for treating depression because of the omega 3′s and tryptophan in it. Very cool!
First squash blossoms, now purslane…I’m learning about so many new things here! This salad looks so crisp and fresh. The vinaigrette sounds wonderful, too, and like a nice change of page. I’ll have to remember to look for that vinegar the next time I’m at Trader Joe’s to see if they stock it here.
The farmers market is a veritable fount of discoveries!
I agree, a light, sweet vinaigrette is a nice change of pace. I tend to gravitate towards creamier dressings, but when the flavors and textures are delicate something on the mild side is a good alternative.
I don’t think you’ll have any trouble finding that vinegar at TJ’s. I’ve seen it both in LA and in the Midwest, and so I think it’s everywhere.