green onions

Market Matters- Super Flavorful, Conversation Starting, Purslane Weed Whacker Salad

25 Jul 2010
purslane from the Hollywood Farmers Market

I am still eating weeds, and it's got people talking. This time my weed du jour is purslane.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) also known as Verdolaga, Pigweed, Little Hogweed or (my favorite) Pusley, is a succulent plant that is found most commonly in Mexican, Greek, and Middle Eastern cooking. It grows rampantly in our Mediterranean climate and it is readily available at the Hollywood Farmers Market. It gets very little attention as far as I have noticed. In fact I have walked past bunches of it every Sunday for years without looking twice.

But all that changed today because of a very knowledeable young woman named Andrea. You see, I was reading Fork Fingers Chopsticks recently and Andrea did a purslane salad that convinced me it was time to try this weed myself. I am very impressionable you know, so don't jump off a cliff I just might follow you...

Of course my personality disorders probably don't interest you. You are here to learn about this weed I have been whacking on about... Well, it is a low-growing, creeping plant with small paddle-shaped green leaves and a thick reddish stem. Elizabeth Schneider describes it quite well in her book Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini:

Perky purslane has oval, juicy-slippery, medium green or yellow-green leaves (more like pads) and a mild, fresh flavor brightened by a tart finish. Wild purslane (it grows naturally in most organic gardens, so “wild” seems an exaggeration) and cultivated purslane can be quite different… At its best (usually wild), purslane has a sorrel tang and a hint of tomato; mediocre purslane (usually cultivated), can be bland and slimy but still looks cute.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Spicy Purslane, Tomato, Cucumber, Mint, and Parsley Salad

Purslane Salad from Sippity Sup
By jgreghenry Published July 25, 2010
Prep time: 20
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 2 c cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 0.5 english cucumber, quartered lengthwise and finely sliced crosswise
  • 2 c tightly packed purslane leaves and small branches
  • 3 scallions, including most of the green, thinly sliced
  • 3 T chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 2 T fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and finely diced
  • 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • 2 t lemon zest, finely grated
  • 0 salt and pepper, to taste
  • 0 pinch of sumac (optional)
  • 1 c tightly packed coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

To make the salad: Cut the tomatoes in halves or quesrters crosswise and squeeze lightly to remove the seeds, transfer to a strainer to drain. In a salad bowl, mix together the cucumber, purslane, scallions, herbs and jalapeños. Add the tomatoes once well drained. To make the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, lemon zest,and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the salad and toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to give the flavors time to meld. Sprinkle with sumac before serving if you like.

Notes:

serves 6 Source: Inspired by the cookbook Mediterranean Hot & Spicy

Default Pasta- Spicy Clams, Linguica Sausage, Chinese Broccoli & Pancit Noodles

23 Jul 2010
Spicy Clams and Chinese Broccoli

Quick boil some water. It’s default pasta night!

No wait– I am kidding. Well I am not kidding that it is default pasta night but I am kidding that I need boiled water for this pasta. Because who says default pasta needs be traditional “Italian Style” noodles. Not me!

Tonight’s default pasta takes a decidedly Asian twist, because I am using a package of Chinese style pancit noodles I have had sitting in the fridge for months. Because truthfully I had never cooked with them before so did not really know what to do with them. So there they sat. Until tonight.

Because in true default pasta fashion I just decided to use them on whim. In fact it is these very noodles that convinced to take this pasta dish in an easterly direction.

You see, impulsively I bought a couple of pounds of clams today. Now I am sure you know clams don’t keep fresh all that long, so I knew clams were going to be on the menu tonight. I also knew it was going to be default pasta night because when I blindly picked up the clams today, I did not pick up anything else to go along with them. So I knew whatever would be happening to these clams it would have to happen with whatever other ingredients I could find in my fridge or pantry.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Spicy Steamed Clams with Chinese Broccoli and Pancit Noodles

Spicy Steamed Clams with Chinese Broccoli
By jgreghenry Published July 23, 2010
Prep time: 5
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb filipinio or chinese style "pancit" noodles
  • 1 lb chinese broccoli
  • 1 T peanut oil
  • 4 clv garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 piece of ginger 1-inch long, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 4 thai bird chili pepper, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 2 lb small clams, well scrubbed
  • 1 c dry vermouth
  • 2 T toasted sesame oil
  • 1 c water
  • 2 T mint leaves, chopped
  • 0 asian fish sauce to taste
  • 4 green onions cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 2-inch pieces crosswise

Directions

Fill a large bowl with cool water. Soak the noodles in it swishing them around the unclump them. Set aside to soften about 10 minutes. Rinse the broccoli and trim the ends. Separate the large outer leaves from the inner stalks so they are all relatively the same size. Par any particularly thick stalks with a knife. Heat peanut oil in a large wok set over high heat. When the wok is hot add the green onions, garlic, ginger and chiles. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the clams and stir fry, uncovered about 3 minutes. Add the vermouth and cover the wok. Cook until clams open, about 3 minutes. Carefully remove all the clams to a large serving plate and discard any that do not open. Add the sesame oil to the wok. Drain the noodles and add them along with 1 cup water to the hot wok, shaking the pan to get them well-coated in the liquid. Lay the cleaned and prepped Chinese broccoli on top. Cover the wok and cook until the broccoli begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Remove the broccoli to the serving plate with the clams. Add the sausage, shaking the wok until it is just heated through and well incorporated into the noodles. Pour the noodles and all the liquid onto the serving tray. Garnish with chopped mint and season with Asian fish sauce.

Notes:

serves 6 Source: Inspired by a recipe in Eating Local

Thai Bird Chili Wings, Please Pass The Napkins

26 Feb 2010
Thai Bird Chili Wings, More Napkins Please!

Wings are messy, and that's a good thing.

Wings remind us that it's okay to be a carnivore. They remind us of a simpler time sitting around the cave with that trendy new cooking device someone cleverly named "fire". Remember how proud you were to be the first neanderthal on the block with an indoor inferno?

But there is more to wings than primitive domination of lesser creatures. Wings have more modern pleasures as well. Wings make it okay to dribble hot sauce all over those brand new $245 jeans. Because stains only make them better, right?

Wings make kids and grandmas alike stick their face in their food and giggle while the eat.

But the best thing about wings is the way you feel after you have devoured an entire plate full. No need to feel guilty in overindulgence. Because bragging rights are the best part about eating wings. Not only is it cool to pig out on wings. It's a badge of honor. Eating 4 or 5 wings may fill you up, but eating 20 or 30 moves you to the head of the table; often to rowdy cheers, chants, hoots and hollars!

Sippity Sup Continues »
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