Our local drive-in liquor store certainly has the Christmas spirit. The Hi-Ho Market Christmas tree stays up year round! In fact it’s been up for several years. In place of a star there’s now a bucket full of trash.
Extra points to the person that names the edible plant in front of the Hi-Ho. Who says LA is a food desert?
The plant looks like common mallow, something my Italian grandmother used.
Happy Holidays from New England!
Malva!
Scientific name anyone? Also, extra prize to the person who comes up with a sauce made with ingredients from the Hi-Ho. A Budweiser reduction, for instance.
Malva Neglecta – we always called it cheese weed where I grew up.
Mallow of course. But also, do i see portulaca as well?
It’s Jade plant Crassula ovata–http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crassula_ovata.
Mallow!
Yes, Mallow! Now can you tell me how to cook it to make it delicious?
Mr. & Mrs. Homegrown – Merry Christmas and many thanks to both of you for the time and quality of the content that you put into Root Simple. Next to my morning cup of joe, it’s the highlight of my morning.
Good health and much happiness to both of you in the new year.
Merry Christmas to you too Max! Thanks for the compliment, and hope to see you again soon.
Here’s how to make it delicious: Pick it when very small, when the leaves are no bigger than 2-2.5 inches. Strip the leaves from the stems. Boil them with salt and Teqesquite, a salt like mineral used in traditional Mexican cooking. The teqesquite needs to be soaked in some water to dissolve, and the heavy, rocky stuff needs to be discarded. If you throw it in the pot whole, you’ll end up with gritty, rocky malvas. Boil them quite a bit. When soft, you want to break them up. An Immersion blender works well. Be careful not to overdo it, as you want the leaves to be somewhat solid, not completely liquified. Chop some zucchini, preferably not the long dark green ones, but the mexican, light green litalian, or Middle eastern ones are good. Throw em in the pot. Chop some jalapeƱos or serrano chiles, fry in oil, add to the pot. Serve hot, and squeeze limes or lemons in it! Delicious, light, but delicious. Just don’t pulverize the malvas. The tequesquite keeps the greens really green, gives a unique flavor, and keeps them from being slimy. It is also used the same way for boiling nopales. This is adapted from a recipe that uses a different type of Malva, that is grown in Southern Mexico. This type of hi-ho malva is know as malva cimarron, which means it’s useful, but not the preferred, or la mera malva, which is the other type. A long post, but that’s how it tastes good!
Thanks Will! Much appreciated–I’d heard of the use of this plant in Mexico, but did not know that it’s a slightly different variety. I owe you a six pack from the Hi-Ho!
Wow, that sure buries the lede! I love it!
what marshmallows were orignally made from I do believe