Welcome to Mountain Edibles

I have been wandering the mountains of Utah as an amateur botanist for many years, and I am now trying to share some of what I have learned with those around me. I am a user of many edible and medicinal plants, and I believe the edible plants are the least known area of my expertise. This blog is a way to increase the popular knowledge of edible plants.

I also do plant walks to teach about edible and medicinal plants in person. If you are in the Northern Utah area, and are interested in arranging such a presentation, you can contact me using the contact form at the bottom of the page.

Thank you for coming.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Portulaca oleracea

Portulaca oleracea
Portulaca oleracea
OK, Purslane is not all that common a sight when wandering through the mountains, but it is a very common sight in the garden, where it seldom grows in anything but a wild state. Which is a bit unfortunate, since this is such a great tasting edible plant. It is also high in anti-oxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. Most gardeners will agree that it can be harvested in abundance without endangering the next year's growth.

When eaten raw, the fleshy leaves and stems are crunchy and pleasant tasting, with a slight lemony taste, which is a sign of oxalic acid. I discuss oxalic acid in the post on Rumex crispus, which has a lot more, but if you are nervous about that boogie man, cook your purslane in a change of water to get the soluble oxalic acid out, and avoid eating rubarb.

Our preferred recipe for purslane is to saute onion, garlic, and bacon in oil. Add zucchini, mushrooms, and the purslane, with a little water and let it steam for five minutes. Then add some pre-cooked and diced potatoes, salt, pepper, marjoram.
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