Of purslane and Co.

Since a few weeks we have joined, as it is called in Belgium, the voedselteams. A movement to buy products like vegetables, fruit, milk (and similar) and meat directly from local producers. After few weeks of test we are rather positive and, since this is done in many countries with different names, I would suggest everybody to support the local community and get fresh produce in season instead of supermarket crappy stuff.
Now, apart from this little manifesto ... one of the things we can order is the vegetable box. Of which we know nothing until delivery except the price and that is has vegetables. We discovered this is a great way to get in contact with new vegetables sometimes referred to as lost.
Purslane is an example. I have never heard of it, but once I received it I fell in love with its taste and consistency. Some googling reveals it is also as good a source of omega3 as fish. I wanted to use it for some ravioli but in the end we simply made a little salad out of it. To be honest I could eat it like chips even.
But purslane is not the only veggie I discovered. Another is red chard (used it for a nice pasta dish) or beetroot (used for gnocchi) or the leaves of the beetroot (used for pasta). Such a box stimulates fantasy and taste is great. I will shortly share all these recipes, especially now that I am stuck home with a stomach flu ... sigh sigh.
Labels: ingredients




