Winter purslane
Claytonia perfoliata
Other names
Miner's lettuce
Similar veggies:
Salad mix, lamb’s lettuce, summer purslane
A quick introduction
Winter purslane grows in fall and winter and is a great crop to plant in the greenhouse after taking out the summer crops such as tomatoes and eggplants. It is a delicious, nutty-tasting salad green but can also be used cooked and is traditionally added to a Dutch 'stamppot'.
Storage
As with all leafy greens we recommend washing winter purslane in cold water (we do pre-wash it at the farm), then dry it and store in a closed container in the fridge. This way it will keep for a week.
Season
Summer
Suggestions for preparation
We love to eat winter purslane in salads because of its fresh taste and crunchy texture. Winter purslane is also delicious in a ‘stamppot’ (add the purslane at the end so it keeps some of its freshness) and serve with a fried egg on top. A tip from one of our members: add some vinegar to the stamppot. Quickly sautéed winter purslane can also be served as a side dish accompanying -for example- fish (add some boiled potatoes with butter and there’s your meal!).
Do you want some salad inspiration? Here are Stadsgroenteboer Andres' basic guidelines to make a filling salad:
Make sure you have at least a few of the ingredient types below:
-Crunchy & juicy elements like kohlrabi, carrots, turnips or summer purslane!
-Spicy elements such as mustard greens, rucola or radishes.
-Green elements like carrot greens, lettuce and radish tops (if very tender).
-Spring onions, chives or young garlic.
-Filling elements like roasted sunflower seeds, walnuts, hazelnuts, sprouts, tofu or mushrooms
-Some delicious edible flowers such as nasturtiums, borage or rucola flowers.
-A vinaigrette with good olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and whatever else you like.
And voilá, there you have your salad!