Purslane

[calendula]

Possible Purslane Lookalikes:

Casual observers will confuse common purslane with other mat-forming annual weeds like prostrate knotweed and spotted spurge. Knotweed lacks the glossy appearance of purslane and forms whitish-pink flowers in the apex of the leaves (which also have a fingernail-like ocrea). Spotted (or prostrate) spurge is another summer annual that can be found in mulched planting beds. Spurge is generally associated with drier conditions and will exude a milky latex from the stems, leaves and roots.

This is knotweed:

And this is prostrate spurge:

 

[vfem]

You have purslane! It grows like mad here. I eat it and I feed it to the ducks too. I just had some quiche I made with purslane, lamb's quarter's leaves, mushrooms, sweet potato leaves and onion with pepper jack cheese. Mmmmmmmmmmm!

The plant it looks like is spurge. But spurge does not have fleshy leaves, they are flat. The stems are also thinner.
http://www.hort.iastate.edu/courses/syllabi/hort351l/weeds/prostrate-spurge.jpg

Yeah that grows inbetween the bricks in my walkway all summer long. Hubby hates how low it grows. Looks a lot like creeping charlie. :/ Purslane I've never seen before.

 

[Kassaundra]

The "fake purselane" will have a milky sap. Yours is purselane the fake one is darker, flater and when you snap a stem you'll see the milk sap.

Sorry but I am confused by what you said. Does the fake purslane have a milky sap or the real purselane? I have a ton of one of somethinggrowing in my garden that I thought was just a really annoying weed. My concern is that the chickens won't touch it and if WZ duck's eat hers maybe mine is the fake stuff. I figure if the chickens won't eat maybe I shouldn't either, but they also eat slugs which I don't plan on incorporating into my diet.

Milky sap is not purselane.

 

[Sunsaver]

Nice photos, Cal. Those should help prevent any confusion. Purselane is easy to identify once you are familiar with it. I use it in soups and salads, even in stir-fry. I wasn't aware of all the health benefits.

 

[calendula]

Well, I fed my family "weeds" last night. But I didn't tell them. I made the potato purslane patties. They weren't bad, but a little bland I'd say. They were missing something. But here's the recipe if anyone wants to try it (and maybe try jazzing it up a bit):

Potato-Purslane Patties
8 cups potatoes cut into 1 to 2 inch chunks
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups chopped purslane stems and leaves
3 cups sauteed mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped commercial or wild onion
5 to 6 eggs
2 teaspoons rosemary
1 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the potatoes in the water until soft. Mash and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix and form patties. Bake on an oiled cookie sheet for 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated 300 degree F oven. Cool on racks.

I will admit that I ommitted the mushrooms because we're not too crazy about them. Also, when it came to the step about forming them into patties, the mixture was no where near firm enought to shape with my hands, so I just kinda spooned it onto the cookie sheets and flattened them.

 

[cityfarmer]

Thanks for clearning up my confusion Kassaundra! I will have to go find some and see if it has a milky sap. The photos look like purselane.

 

[hoodat]

Well, I fed my family "weeds" last night. But I didn't tell them. I made the potato purslane patties. They weren't bad, but a little bland I'd say. They were missing something. But here's the recipe if anyone wants to try it (and maybe try jazzing it up a bit):

Potato-Purslane Patties
8 cups potatoes cut into 1 to 2 inch chunks
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups chopped purslane stems and leaves
3 cups sauteed mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped commercial or wild onion
5 to 6 eggs
2 teaspoons rosemary
1 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the potatoes in the water until soft. Mash and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix and form patties. Bake on an oiled cookie sheet for 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated 300 degree F oven. Cool on racks.

I will admit that I ommitted the mushrooms because we're not too crazy about them. Also, when it came to the step about forming them into patties, the mixture was no where near firm enought to shape with my hands, so I just kinda spooned it onto the cookie sheets and flattened them.

It shouldn't have been bland with the rosemary. Could it be your spice has lost its kick? Rosemary oil is quite volatile and it easily evaporates. You might also try adding some thyme and oregano. (fresh if you have them.)

 

[hoodat]

Beavis, once you identify puselane one time it is easy to tell apart from it's lookalikes. They don't really look that much alike. That would be a very common garden weed (or vegetable) in Ramona. It's sold as a vegetable in Mexican markets in San Diego.
BTW the butterfly weed from the seeds you sent me have raised quite a few monarch butterflies. Thanks again.

 

[wifezilla]

Even if you are not a mushroom fan, when it is blended with other ingredients, it builds flavor. I would try halving the mushrooms but still using them, and maybe replacing some of that water with chicken stock or red wine.

 

[calendula]

It shouldn't have been bland with the rosemary. Could it be your spice has lost its kick? Rosemary oil is quite volatile and it easily evaporates. You might also try adding some thyme and oregano. (fresh if you have them.)

That could be. I've been growing my own rosemary now, but I still have some store stuff left that I'm trying to use up. So who knows how long that stuff was sitting on the shelf.

Even if you are not a mushroom fan, when it is blended with other ingredients, it builds flavor. I would try halving the mushrooms but still using them, and maybe replacing some of that water with chicken stock or red wine.

I'll have to try adding the mushrooms next time. I have tricked them into eating eating them before by chopping them and telling them it was meat. But, if all else fails, the kids like Super Mario Bros., so I'll just tell them they're power-up mushrooms like in the game to make them big and strong.

You know the other thing I think it was missing is salt and perhaps some cheese.