Some folks eat it raw, some folks cook it, and some folks call it pig weed, and use it in compost since it grows so fast.

I think it would depend on how hungry you were. It does make excellent compost.

Would Gandhi count as someone, J? Yeah, I didn't know that. It has a fairly pleasant flavor to me - tart. Supposedly, NYC chefs prepare it for their customers.

Make sure that you don't confuse it with {{gwi:1220599}}. I guess spurge is dangerous if eaten. Its leaves are quite different - a non-succulent.

Well, mostly I'd say that I don't like it. Gandhi and I would disapprove of me saying that I "hate" it. It is really hard to find and pull all the tiny seedlings early in the year. Then, it forms a mat that soaks up irrigation water - dry as toast under the plants. And, it is fairly obvious to the observer that even much, much taller plants like corn do not like it. Finally, it is very difficult to kill short of burying it alive!!

digitS'

Thanks you guys!
From the first link: "Some complain that purslane can be, well, a tad slimy."
Yes, it is very slimy, a succulent and not spurge, although I do have that trying to annoy me as well. Thanks for the heads up on spurge, though!
I might give it one more try, maybe by cooking it the sliminess will be less evident.
Luckily I did not wind up with a bunch of it, it must have blown in later in spring and now it is just starting to go to town.
It is not one of the things I like to say, either, but if you hate it, well, you hate it :)
The dogs eat it, but they eat everything in that garden as well as wild strawberries for Gordy and raspberries for Lucy.
Thanks...
J

as a succulent, purslane has the ability to disperse its seeds before drying up and dying. so pulling it up will just make more. why not collect it and freeze it ? it thickens tomato sauce without adding taste. also good in soups- has lots of one of the omega-3 fatty acids. like i've said- cheaper than salmon!

I used to know a lady who canned it and pickled it. She had sooo many food alergies that she made all of the food she ate. But she bought the seed which apparently has larger succulent pieces that the ordinary garden variety.

funny to see this old post! I think I wanted to like purslane this year, mainly because of the omega 3s but, I just don't like it...still. I could try using it in sauce...we shall see next year!

odd, I don't like okra but I do like pickled okra. maybe I'd like pickled purslime? that was a pun...sorry

:)

My Spanish grandmother cooked it with hamburger and spices and it was delicious! It is easy to over-cook, which makes it slimy. I actually bought seeds for it last year but never got them planted. It should be cooked from young plants in the spring, not old ones in late summer. The Spanish call it vergolaga.

MileHigh,
I'm curious, did she use a lot? I'm guessing if she used one pound of ground beef then did she use a cup or more or less of purslane? I'm still thinking of trying it again in spring.
Thank you!!
J.

She browned onions and ground beef and then added the vergolaga. I believe she added a bit of chili powder too. Then we wrapped it in a tortilla. It may be an acquired taste, but I remember loving it as a child. She treated it like it was something so special...probably from her own childhood.

I found a couple of links that might help:

http://www.environment.nau.edu/cswf/pdf/newsletter4_31July03_pdf.pdf

http://www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/fussell/greens.htm

Another recipe:

http://midgepingletonspantry.tumblr.com/post/50039829/ah-dairy-on-a-hot-summer-day

Thanks, Mile High!!

The third recipe sounds terrific! I'm going to try that next year...after the snow goes away and the purslane comes back.

Oh, mint and cilantro sounds so good!

J