Purslane pesto

Name: Purslane pesto
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 0
Ingredients: Purslane (to be cleaned) 10 oz; Grana Padano PDO cheese (for grating) 1 oz; Pine nuts 4 tbsp; Extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp; Coarse salt 1 tsp; Garlic 1 clove

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Gluten Free
Lactose Free
Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Also called portaluca, purslane is a wild plant that is practically ubiquitous, although it is not very well known in the kitchen. We present you with a simple and genuine recipe: purslane pesto! Characterized by a pungent and delicately bitter flavor, purslane is rich in omega 3 and vitamins. It also has diuretic, anti-bacterial and anti inflammatory properties, which is why it is used as a natural remedy too, especially in traditional Chinese medicine. Excellent both cooked and uncooked, it is perfect for enriching salads, omelettes, soups and first courses. Try purslane pesto with a nice plate of spaghetti, or on a slice of toasted bread, and enjoy this season's novelty!

Check out our variations of pesto:

INGREDIENTS: Purslane 10 oz (300 g) - (to be cleaned); Grana Padano PDO cheese 1 oz (50 g) - (for grating); Pine nuts 4 tbsp (40 g); Extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp (40 g); Coarse salt 1 tsp (5 g); Garlic 1 clove

Preparation

How to prepare Purslane pesto

To prepare purslane pesto, start by removing the tougher part of the root and leaving the tenderer stalks 1. Immerse the purslane in a bowl filled with water to remove the soil 2, then thoroughly rinse it under running water and dry with a clean cloth 3.

Peel and halve the garlic clove, then remove the germ 4. Place the garlic in a mortar, together with the coarse salt 5 and pine nuts 6.

Crush with the pestle 7, then gradually add the purslane a little at a time, so that it is easier to crush (8-9).

When smooth and creamy in consistency, add the oil 10 and the grated Grana 11, then amalgamate with the pestle into a homogeneous cream. Your purslane pesto is ready to be used 12!

Storage

Purslane pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for one day, covered with plastic wrap and aluminum to avoid oxidation.

Freezing is not recommended.

Tips

You can personalize the pesto to your taste, by replacing the pine nuts with walnuts or almonds for example, or adding lemon peel or basil to temper the flavor of the purslane!

You can use a mixer if you don't have a mortar, just be sure to blend in short bursts to avoid overheating the pesto.

Interesting facts

Be sure not to mistake wild purslane for the ornamental portulaca oleracea: the former grows spontaneously in vegetable gardens and is edible, whereas the latter is not.