Pork Chops with Golden Purslane and Fresh Tomato Sauce

A common weed in many a gardener's backyard bed, wild purslane is perfectly edible—even delicious, in fact. Its juicy little leaves have a citrusy, sometimes peppery zip. Cultivated golden purslane is much milder than the tangy wild weed; you can use wild instead of golden with no problem, but you may not need any lemon (add it at the end, after tasting).

2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil

2 pork rib chops (1 in. thick)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

About 1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 to 2 serrano chiles, chopped

1 1/2 pounds ripe red tomatoes (about 2 large), chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano

3 cups golden purslane leaves and tender stems, divided

1 tablespoon lemon zest

About 2 tbsp. lemon juice

Step 1

Heat oil in a large (not nonstick) frying pan over medium-high heat. Season pork chops on both sides with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper and brown on both sides, 5 minutes total. Transfer chops to a plate.

Step 2

Add onion and chiles to pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook, covered, until onion softens, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, and oregano and cook 5 minutes more, covered.

Step 3

Nestle pork chops into tomatoes and onion and add 1 1/2 cups purslane. Cover and cook 7 minutes, stir in remaining purslane, and cook just until slightly wilted, about 3 minutes more. Stir in lemon zest, juice, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 0

Amount Per Serving
Calories 405Calories from Fat 48

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 3.5g18%
Cholesterol 62mg21%
Sodium 482mg21%
Total Carbohydrate 25g9%

Dietary Fiber 6.7g27%
Protein 30g60%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Pork Chops with Golden Purslane and Fresh Tomato Sauce