Pork Stew with Purslane

This Pork Stew with Purslane is a delicious way to introduce your family to this nutritious succulent plant! Purslane is loaded with lots of minerals, nutrients and Omega 3’s!

Pork Stew with Purslane

The botanical name for Purslane is Portulaca oleracea, and in Spanish, we call it “Verdolagas”. It is considered by many as a weed that grows in the wild. Indeed, it is effortless to grow it yourself, and it thrives during the summer months.

Many people have this plant growing in their backyard without knowing that they’re missing out on the many benefits of this plant, including a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, B, and C, and several minerals including magnesium, potassium, and calcium!

HOW DOES PURSLANE TASTE?

When people ask me to describe the flavor of purslane, I actually have a hard time describing it because the taste is too mild. You could say that it’s somewhere between the taste of green beans and spinach, having just a light bitterness. Whichever way you cook it, it will enhance the flavors of the dish.

Some people only use the leaves and tender parts of the plant for salads, while others also include the stems of the mature plant to add to soups and stews, like this Pork Stew with Purslane. For this recipe, I’m adding the whole plant, stems and leaves included.

Purslane is consumed in many Mediterranean countries like Greece and Turkey, where it is used in stews and even as a filling for some turnovers called “Borek”. It is believed that Purslane has its origins in India, where it is called “luni-bhaji”, and is used for curries and soups.

HOW TO GROW PURSLANE?

To grow purslane in your vegetable garden, you can either purchase the seeds online or transplant small plants of purslane. This is what I did when I moved to my current home. I found a couple of small purslane plants growing in one corner of the backyard, and transplanted them into my vegetable beds. They propagate quickly, and don’t require too much care. You will enjoy their production from late spring to almost the early fall season.

Freshly cut Purslane from my vegetable garden.

Other recipes with Purslane:

• Steamed Purslane
• Pork chops with tomatillo sauce and purslane
• Chicken with vegetables and purslane

How to make Pork Stew with Purslane

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS

• 1 lb. pork shoulder or butt meat
• ½ cup of water
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 Bay leaf
• 13 oz. tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 jalapeño pepper
• ½ cup white onion, chopped
• 6 oz. Purslane (about 2 cups)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 sprig of cilantro
• 2 Epazote leaves (optional)

NOTES:

• * If you don’t find Epazote leaves, just add an extra spring of cilantro.
• ** You can use other cuts of pork meat, but keep in mind that the cooking times will vary depending on the cut.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season the meat with salt and place in a medium-size saucepan or skillet, then cover with water and add the bay leaf. Turn the heat to medium-high, and once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and keep cooking until all the liquid has reduced (about 15 minutes).
2. While the meat is cooking, roast the tomatoes, jalapeño pepper, and garlic clove on a hot griddle. Make sure you remove the garlic clove promptly (since it will get roasted quickly) and peel it. Turn over the tomatoes and pepper, in order to roast them on all sides.
3. Remove the tomatoes and jalapeño pepper from the griddle, and place them in your blender along with the garlic clove. Process until you have a sauce. You do not need to add water to this sauce, as the purslane is almost 90% water, and it will release a lot of liquid when you add it in step 5. Once you’re done blending, set the sauce aside.

4. Add 2 tbsp. of oil to the skillet with the meat (all the liquid should be reduced by now) and continue cooking. Stir the meat to allow an even browning. Once the meat has browned, stir in the chopped onion and cook for 2 more minutes until it is transparent.
5. Pour the blended sauce into the skillet, and add the purslane, cilantro, and epazote as well. Season with salt and pepper and continue to simmer gently until the meat is very tender, about 10-15 minutes. To serve, spoon the pork and purslane stew onto a plate. You can add rice to make it a whole meal. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Pork Stew with Purslane!