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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

summer greens



I have already mentioned lambs quarters and I have mentioned wild leeks but I have yet to talk about purslane - verdolagas as I grew up to know them. This wild and unruly green used to grow in the cracks of my parents driveway and since I spent so much time at the farm of my grandparents I wanted to eat this green thing that my mom and dad were trying so hard to irradicate. Even my neighbors mom said these were good to eat and I said 'I know' , yet my parents wanted to get rid of these weeds as most people do. Problem is now it is being sold in farmers markets, yup -driveway weeds at $3.99 a pound and a pound is HUGE and as Jacques Pepin would have you subscribe or perform or what ever- he wants to turn a profit - he's smart- so each serving, and depending on how you serve it to, could cost any where from 2 dollars an ounce on up. I cooked up a pound tonight (thats 16 ounces) and I have probably at least 4 more pounds. Lets do some figuring for a moment. Sell by the pound or cooked by the ounce - plus I find them not buy them...cooking is my only out. I refer back to my childhood as a point of reference for a lot of what I cook. This green is exactly what I am talking about! Welcome to my verdolaga patch. What you see in this clip is partial of what will grow again two maybe three more times - its a hearty weed.



Just cook them and eat them should be their motto!



You can also eat them like this, say for instance if you dont want to use a bowl.....

9 comments:

Dana said...

I am so glad you included this video so that I knew how to pronounce "verdolagas"

Kitt said...

Oh yeah! I have a bumper crop! Thanks for the recipe.

buffalodick said...

As it looked familiar, I looked it up. Most stuff like this has other names like Mexican Parsley, Purslane, or as I came to know it- Pussley! It was eaten in fair amounts during the Depression, as it is a prolific plant, widely found, and mostly free! Never tried it, even though my first houses yard grew bumper crops!

Tanya Kristine said...

the end sounded like porno music...LOVE IT!

i have NEVER heard of that green and now i must have it.

Anonymous said...

Oh yum.

Anonymous said...

So, since you've done the Rt. 66 thing, I'm sure you won't mind sharing with me via blog entry some of the better eats down that long and winding road????

Angel said...

mmmm, all that cheese and those beans and all those weeds....i'll be over around 5, ok?

CreativeMish said...

Love your video! I learn something new each time I visit you :)

pinknest said...

yes, they have become quite fancified!

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