Mexico Cerdo con Verdolagas (Pork with Purslane)
Verdolaga is the Spanish name for the succulent purslane, also known in English as pigweed, little hogweed, red root, or pursley. In Central Mexico, purslane is a very popular green. It has a slightly sour and salty taste that goes well with pork. It is a common plant in Mexican gardens and is a potent antioxidant. Cerdo con verdolagas is a Central Mexican classic. Serve with white rice, pinto beans, and warm tortillas to dip into the sauce.
Recipe Servings: 6–8
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 lbs (1 kg) pork chops, ¾ in (2 cm) thick
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1½ lb (68 g) tomatillos, husked
- 4 serrano or jalapeño peppers
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 bunches of purslane, cleaned and thick stems removed (~3 cups/700 ml)
- ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) cumin
Directions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Meanwhile, season pork chops with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the pork chops and cook them well on both sides, for about 15 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan with water, cook the tomatillos and pepper over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a blender or food processor, pureé the onion, garlic, and cooked tomatillo and peppers until smooth.
- When the pork chops are brown, add the tomatillo sauce, chopped purslane, cumin, and salt. Keep simmering on low heat for about 20 more minutes.
- Remove from heat when the pork is tender.
Notes
Watercress can work as a substitute for purslane. A variation using chicken instead of pork is called pollo con verdolagas.
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