I am serving this as a salad you would eat with a fork. But it is based on a relish you find in most every tavern and restaurant in Istanbul. It often accompanies grilled meat and especially kebabs. The Turkish version is finely chopped and most typically eaten with a spoon.
Spicy Purslane, Tomato, Cucumber, Mint, and Parsley Salad
Print This Recipe Yield 6Source Inspired by the cookbook Mediterranean Hot & SpicyPublishedserves 6
Ingredients
- 2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
- ½ english cucumber, quartered lengthwise and finely sliced crosswise
- 2 cup tightly packed purslane leaves and small branches
- 3 scallions, including most of the green, thinly sliced
- 1 cup tightly packed coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and finely diced
- 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
- salt and pepper, to taste
- pinch of sumac (optional)
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.
We grow lavender in our herb garden. I was thinking just the other day about how to incorporate in recipes and I saw your post as I scrolled down your blog. I’ve been away too long traveling, so it looks like I’ve missed a lot of your good food posts.
Anyway, I knew there was lavender in herbs de Provence and use it frequently. But I didn’t know how to use just lavender. This contains so much good information. Thank you and Pamela.
One of my husband’s dessert specialties is Creme Brulee. It may be the fact that not many people serve Creme Brulee at home or it may be the torch thing. He’ll be trilled when he sees this. By the way, your Brulee ramekins are beautiful and so much more colorful than our plain white ones.
Sam
the use of lavender in desserts is new to me, I wonder what kind of flavor it has to offer besides the nice scent it gives off. Creme Brulee is such a great sweet treat
it’s slightly floral and a bit like a sweet rosemary I’d say. A little goes a long way. GREG
for flavoring soups and roasts over the years, but have never used lavender on its own. As a HUGE fan of classic vanilla creme brulee (I’ve never been a big fan of wildly flavored ones), I love the idea of gently perfuming it with lavender. It seems like a nice way to “summerize” this great dessert. — S
Great use of lavender! It’s an often overlooked herb that imparts a wonderful flavor to dishes. And this creme brulee looks like a fabulous way to incorporate it.
Perfect! Both my man and I are huge crème brulée fans and this is lovely!
Creme brulee is my favorite dessert so of course I think this sounds incredible.
I’ve been looking for a creme brulee recipe for a while that was beyond the traditional creme brulee, yet not too far out there. This looks like the one.
Well, that’s my favorite dessert before you even add the lavender.
I’m not sure that I’ve ever even seen fresh lavender around these parts (DC) but maybe I can scrounge some up at the farmer’s market…
Great post Greg!
Well hello you gorgeous dessert, you. I have a weakness for sweets and Crème Brûlée is no exception. Plus, it gives me a reason to use my mini blow torch! Very nice addition with the lavender.
I love anything with lavender.….and lavender in creme brulee.….…oh, my.… 🙂
I first fell in love with lavender in cooking when I went to a lavender farm on Maui that also had a cooking school Try it in scones.
This looks fantastic! Are you sure you weren’t hiding my pastry class? My challenge (the ingredient you chose for me) will be done shortly…it’s still processing. mua-ha-ha-ha
Amazing photos as always Greg. The lavender almost looks like it’s floating above the custard in that last shot. I’ve only ever had it in herbs de Provence but swapping it out for vanilla bean seems like it would work now that I think about it.
Is there a better sound at the table than the crunch of the spoon breaking through brulee crust?
We all tend to use the same ingredients and flavor profiles a wee too much. It’s a great idea to stretch and try something new. I’m not a big fan of creme brulee (yes, there is such a person), but this looks very lovely.
Oh you’ve done it again! Lavender creme brulee sign me up!
I’m sure that I’ve have lavender ice cream but that, I think, is the extent of my experience with it (in the culinary setting, I mean). Time to change that I guess!
I have enjoyed the subtle use of lavender in sweets and savories for quite some time. I remember when I first realized I was eating it and being surprised. It is really good in shortbread cookies too. I bet you and Pamela are quite the team at the Farmers Market! xo
What a great way to start using lavender. I am sure that it is delightful in the creme brulee (which is always one of my favorite desserts). I will have to try using some fresh lavender this Summer. I do buy it to keep in pots, but have never put it in my food, although I do see it more and more in dishes.
I’ve seen lavender used in a lot of recipes lately. It’s hard for me to imagine what a floral taste it might have. It looks delicious, though.
Jenn