Letter from Margy Robertson
Agriculture – August 2005 – Colorado Central Magazine
Editors:
I read Hal Walter’s article about his garden [in the July edition], thought I’d add another notion for him. I don’t know whether purslane grows at his 8,800 ft., but it sure thrives in my garden in Monte Vista. For years I’d weed it out by the bushel. I recalled reading about it, but had exactly zero idea what to do with it even if edible, and even if the English plant it on purpose. Then my guy friend Louie told me he’d grown up on the stuff, would take it home by the armloads from potato fields, when he was a kid at Hooper. Then neighbor Julia, originally from Mexico, got all excited seeing it. Remarkably, her recipe is the same as Louie’s mom’s.
In Spanish the name is verdolagas. Here’s what you do: pick lots of it, stems and leaves, before it flowers (the stems get tough). Wash well and carefully. Fill a large frying pan with it, then add a medium diced tomato, 1/4-1/3 cup diced onion, and a couple minced garlic cloves (don’t use dried; screws up the flavor somehow). Saute slowly in a covered pan, stir now and again. Do not cook off the pink juice; that’s part of it, as are the small stems. Takes only a short while to cook. Add salt to taste.
This is quite delicious, actually, and freezes well, so I take the time and put some up for winter. Maybe that’s my reason for doing a big batch at once. The washing is slow going and sort of a pain, so fixing lots at once seems more worthwhile, I guess.
A while ago I read that purslane is a terrifically healthy veggie, high in omega-3 and vitamins if I recall correctly. It’s only vaguely spinach-like in flavor.
If you go find some I bet you will think “She cooks THAT?”
Yup, yup. I didn’t believe it either at first; now it’s a staple.
Besides, what better way to get even with some garden weeds than ingesting them?
Double dare…
Margy Robertson
Monte Vista
