One Healthy Weed

Times are tough here on the farm.

While Tiffany is dining at Tony de Luca's fab restaurants, attending Farm to Table events, and scarfing down some hoity toity pizza , I have been getting hungry.

City folk and country folk just don't live the same at all.

As I weeded the garden after the great rain we had on Friday, I spied it.

Purslane!

Purslane is a sign of a good, rich soil, but it also is a great edible... dare I say it... weed! You can buy seed for cultivated Purslanes, which I have grown.

There is a lovely golden one and the more standard green. The cultivated varieties do have larger leaves, but in reality, have nothing at all on the regular "weed."

Purslane is a succulent, full of the important Omega-3 fatty acid alpha linolenic. It is terrifically good for you. Also very easy to find. You certainly don't have to forage far.

Tree and Twig, for example, has a good supply.

Here is a recipe to enhance your find:

Purslane Salad

1 small onion, chopped. Soak in salt water.

2 cups chopped purslane

1 large chopped tomato

Drain onions and mix all ingredients together.

Dress with 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 tsp vinegar.

(recipe is from the fabulous book"Simply in Season," which is commissioned by the Mennonite Central Committee. I found my copy at Ten Thousand Villages.)