Purslane Salad

Author Notes

I used to work on a farm, and I spent a lot of time being annoyed at all the weeds. But not purslane -- we always harvested this weed for ourselves and used it for this really refreshing summer salad. We varied it endlessly depending on what else we had on hand. Some especially memorable combinations were delicata squash + sheep's milk ricotta + pumpkin seeds + cucumber OR sliced nectarines + toasted pecans + proscuitto.

Purslane makes a great picnic salad because it's relatively sturdy, and can be dressed beforehand. —linzarella

Test Kitchen Notes

If you have never tried purslane, one taste of linzarella’s Purslane salad will make you an enthusiast. Bright and bold, it is a symphony of flavors and textures – a bowlful of delicious bites. While the purslane and the acids keep the salad tart and crunchy, the melon (I recommend trying cantaloupe) provides a soft, sweet contrast and a shower of salty feta rounds everything out. Cucumber and radishes also add texture, and a secondary layer of sweet and bitter flavors. I love that while you build the salad, you are also building the dressing – sturdy purslane makes this possible without worry of wilting. Make this salad soon, and then make it again, as you will undoubtedly want to.
—gingerroot