Chicken Purslane Tacos Were a Hit!

I was glad to see this recipe in LEF's recipe database since purslane is not a common ingredient.  It's actually an uncultivated, yet edible and yummy, weed!  I did a few modifications in red to make this a meal with a little more protein, since these days most of our meals are vegetarian!  The kids ate it up!


Mexican Purslane Stuffing 
Submitted by member Cindy Riley (found on the Prairieland CSA website, but the source is Texas A&M University’s “Aggie Horticulture Network”) Anyone have any idea why it’s called ‘stuffing?’
serves 4

1 to 1½ lbs. purslane
1 tbsp. vegetable oil [Cindy used olive oil]
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh garlic (1 clove)
1 sm. onion, finely chopped
1 medium-size ripe tomato, chopped [Cindy says she substituted sun-dried tomatoes][I used sun-dried too]
1 serrano or jalapeno chile, finely chopped, or freshly cracked black pepper, according to taste [perfect opportunity for using the hot peppers in this week’s share!][We used the padrone peppers from the share - luckily the one I chose was mild for the kids]
2 to 3 tsp. soy sauce (okay, maybe only in Texas is soy sauce 'Mexican!')
1 egg, beaten
Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded


1. Set aside a few raw sprigs of purslane for garnish. [I did not do garnish] Steam or blanch the rest until tender-crisp (three to five minutes). Drain thoroughly, transfer to a plate covered with several layers of paper towels and blot dry.

2. In a large pan, sauté garlic and onion in vegetable oil until soft. Add tomato and chile (or black pepper) and sauté until the mixture becomes sauce-like. Season with soy sauce. Add the purslane and sauté until mixture is warm and the flavors marry. Add shredded chicken and if not warm, heat until warm.

3. When ready to serve, add the beaten egg to the warm mixture in the pan and mix gently. The egg will bind the mixture loosely but should not harden into scrambled eggs. Garnish individual servings with reserved purslane sprigs. Can be eaten as is, or in tortillas or pita bread. [We had this in tortillas]