Purslane Salad With Cherries And Feta

This salad is inspired by one I ate in Greece. I’ve added the cherries and made the olives optional, though I like the contrast of the briny, salty olives against the cherries. Purslane is nutrient-dense, with lots of omega-3s. If you can’t get hold of it, substitute mâche, another high-omega-3 salad green.

1 generous bunch purslane, thick stems cut away (12 ounces, about 4 cups), washed and dried, or 1 bag mâche

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

16 cherries, pitted and quartered

12 kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 small garlic clove, puréed

Salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

1 to 2 ounces feta, crumbled

1. Toss together the purslane, 2 teaspoons of the mint, the cherries and the olives in a salad bowl, or in a large bowl if you prefer to serve this on a platter.

2. Whisk together the vinegars, lemon juice, garlic, salt, olive oil and pepper. Toss with the salad. If desired, transfer to a platter. Sprinkle the feta and remaining mint over the top, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

Advance preparation: This salad can be assembled and refrigerated for several hours before tossing with the dressing. Toss just before serving. Leftovers won’t get too soggy because the purslane is succulent, but the color of the purslane will fade.

Nutritional information per serving: 205 calories; 18 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 milligrams cholesterol; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 303 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 3 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

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