Fig-purslane salad with toasted pecans & fig balsamic dressing

Purslane and fig salad? Find out how to turn two summer garden treats into a delicious meal or side dish! 

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First, a bit about purslane…

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is one of the 14 leafy green vegetables we recommend for warm-climate summer gardens. Why?

First, purslane is incredibly robust, drought-resistant, and low-maintenance. It’s also fast-growing and highly productive. 

Yes, these attributes also cause purslane to be labelled a “weed” by people who are trying to grow plants other than purslane, including many farmers. However, we prefer to see it for its many virtues.   

Purslane: a nutritional powerhouse

Perhaps the best thing about purslane is its nutritional profile. It contains high amounts of Vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and other nutrients.

Purslane also contains two types of omega-3 fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). EPA (don’t try to pronounce the full name) is very rarely found in plants. Rather, it’s typically found in animals and is the type of omega-3 fatty acid that makes fatty fish like salmon so good for you. 

Lastly, the mucilage in purslane makes it awesome for your gut health, aka your gut microbiome.      

Are plant oxalates bad for you? 

Yes, purslane is also relatively high in oxalates. In case you’ve never heard of them, oxalates are compounds found in varying concentrations in virtually every plant food imaginable: almonds, sweet potatoes, grains, greens, etc. They’re also a metabolic waste product produced by your own body. 

Oxalates are often labeled as “anti-nutrients” because they can bind to certain nutrients during digestion, thus preventing your body from absorbing them. However, the degree to which oxalates actually inhibit nutrient absorption is quite complex and varies from person to person. Your resident microbes also make a big difference.  

As nutritionists at Colorado State University detail: 

“Further, a specific type of bacteria that resides in the gut called Oxalobacter formignes breaks down oxalates and uses them for energy. This process prevents oxalates from binding to minerals and limiting their absorption. Studies have shown that people with low levels of oxalate-degrading bacteria in the gut and those with certain digestive disorders are more prone to higher levels of oxalates in the body.” 

Should you avoid eating plants high in oxalates, such as purslane?

Unless you’re prone to kidney stones or gout, or your doctor has told you to avoid high oxalate foods, there’s no reason to avoid eating plants like purslane. For most people, the health benefits of eating oxalate-containing plant foods far outweigh any downsides. 

And the best way for an otherwise healthy person to prevent kidney stones is to stay hydrated, not stop eating nutrient-rich foods. 

How to process and eat purslane

Ok, last thing about purslane then we’ll move on… How do you process and eat it? Here’s what we recommend: 

Step 1: Harvest.

Harvest the growth tips by pinching or cutting the stem just above the lower leaf nodes. 

Step 2: Clean.

Rinse your purslane in a colander to remove any dirt of debris. 

Step 3: Separate into leaf and stem sections.

Every part of the purslane plant is edible, but some parts are better-suited for certain culinary applications than others…

For fresh eating in salads, the best parts of purslane are the growth tips which contain leaves, flowers/buds, and immature and mature seed pods. These have a tender yet slightly crunchy texture and a mild sour-salty-savory flavor. 

Purslane stems are more fibrous and taste more sour than the leaf sections. They’re still perfectly fine to eat. For the recipe in this article, we puree them in the fig-balsamic salad dressing to add a bit of sour flavor.  

Now it’s salad time! 

Process photos and tips: making fig & purslane salad with toasted pecans and balsamic-fig dressing

Have your purslane ready to go? Below, we’ll show you how to combine purslane with fresh figs to make a unique and delicious summer salad.

Step 1: Make fig-balsamic dressing

Puree the following ingredients in a blender or small food processor: 

• 1/4 cup purslane stems, left after pinching off leaves and flower heads (or just add a teaspoon of lemon juice)
• 5 very ripe fresh figs
• 2 tbsp red onions
• 1/8 tsp mustard powder 
• 1 tbsp quality balsamic vinegar (or more to taste)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• salt to taste or about 1/8 tsp

Step 2: Toast pecans

In a pan over medium heat, toast your pecans in a smidge of butter for about 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned on each side. 

Remove from heat, set aside, and let cool while you prep the rest of the salad.

Step 3: Slice figs then combine salad ingredients.

We grow smaller ‘Brown Turkey’ figs so we just slice them in half for this salad recipe. If you’re using larger figs, you may want to quarter them. 

For a two-serving portion of purslane-fig salad, we use the following ingredients:

• 7 fresh figs sliced in half (plus one more quartered for garnish)
• 1/4 cup toasted pecans + 1 tsp butter
• 1.5 cups purslane leaves and flowers
• 1/3 cup (1.3 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (*goat cheese, manchego, or another cheese of your choice would work fine) 
• optional seasonal garnishes (we used garlic chive flowers and melon flowers) 

Set aside your garnishes (including a bit of fresh-grated cheese), then combine salad ingredients plus your fig-balsamic dressing in a serving bowl. Mix together until dressing evenly coats the ingredients. Garnish and serve! 

Recipe: Fig and purslane salad

We hope this article and recipe helps you appreciate both the human health and culinary benefits of purslane, a great green to grow in your summer garden. Our fig-purslane salad recipe also gives you a starting point for using purslane. Enjoy! 

KIGI,

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