Weeds may not sound like the next big thing in food, but Montana State University researchers are trying to change that.
Last week, Whistle Pig Korean in downtown Bozeman offered a two-day tasting event featuring purslane, a succulent, leafy plant that grows wild on many Montana farms and is often pulled as a weed. In countries like Korea, Italy, and Mexico, however, purslane is considered a valuable leafy green.
“It’s all about layering flavors and layering textures that’s really important,” said Emma Woods, head chef at Whistle Pig.
Woods partnered with MSU’s Sustainable Food Systems master’s program to create a dish highlighting purslane. She developed an acorn jelly purslane salad, drawing inspiration from Korean cuisine.
“It’s amazing to be like, yeah this is considered a weed or just a cover crop a lot of the time, but you don’t need to just throw it away,” Woods said. “Koreans love it, so it was really easy to come up with an idea. I thought, ‘oh yeah, I can definitely do something with that.’”
Lea Sherman, a master’s student and researcher with MSU’s Sustainable Food Systems program, said purslane is not only versatile but also highly nutritious.
“It’s unique. It has a ton of nutritional value super high in Omega 3s and 6s, vitamins, minerals. We’re researching how to optimize those,” Sherman said.
Sherman explained that this is the second food research event the program has hosted. The goal is to introduce the plant to Montana communities and gauge consumer interest.
“We’re focusing on how to introduce it to a community, to see if people are interested, if it’s something they’d eat,” she said.
According to Sherman, purslane grows well in Montana’s climate.
“It grows everywhere, it grows quickly, it doesn’t need much water it’s a good plant to support the environment,” Sherman said.
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As part of the event, Sherman and other researchers surveyed diners to collect data on whether purslane could be accepted as a local food source.
“I’m just glad people are willing to try it that’s something special,” Sherman said.
Many diners who tasted the salad said they were pleasantly surprised.
“It’s fun! I love the idea of using something that’s just growing in your garden,” one diner said.
Another diner added, “So refreshing exactly what we were looking for.”
With its authentic Korean influences and sustainable potential, researchers and chefs hope purslane could become more than a weed, maybe even a staple on Montana menus.
