Who knew that our little lowly weed purslane is getting so much press these days. Maybe it hired a new publicity agent, or maybe it has a new movie coming out, but whatever the reason, I’m seeing it in all sorts of fantastic magazines. It was in last month’s Sunset magazine and now it’s in this months issue of Gourmet (by the way, does the photography in Gourmet make you swoon too? I adore each and every beautiful page. I won’t get into how their recipes don’t follow the seasons hardly at all, I’ll just hush up and admire.).

I posted one recipe for it a few months back. I loved that Purslane stew and I’ve made it again since I wrote about it. But I decided to try out Sunset’s Purslane & Cucumber & Yogurt salad. I like it okay, but if I had to make it again here’s how I’d do it:

Kendra’s Version of Sunset’s Purslane & Cucumber & Yogurt Salad:
Mix Together:
1 Cucumber, seeded and diced
2 c. chopped purslane
2 Tbs. chopped mint
1 garlic clove mashed to a paste with 1 tsp. salt
2 c. plain yogurt
2 tbsp. olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
freshly ground black pepper

Oh, by the way, did you catch Scott’s Pesto Manifesto the other week? He’s worth listening to when it comes to cooking techniques. Although he works for the illustrious Chez Scott at the moment (a lovely little one table family-style joint in Sonoma) he used to cook for Piatti’s in Mill Valley and Left Bank in Larkspur (which I used to live in the apartments above before we met) so he knows what he’s talking about. His tip on blanching the basil or whatever leafy green you choose is the best. He didn’t have time this weekend to blanch our pesto and it turned out it’s usual shade of dark, gray green. Blanching it will really keep it’s lively green color.
Thanks also to Brittney of Eye on the Bay for featuring it on your blog!