PAPALO

Papalo is a pungent herb with scalloped, green blue leaves and tastes like a combination of arugula and cilantro. Papalo is usually eaten raw in salads or on “cemitas” central Mexico’s version of a hero sandwich, in soups and stews, with grilled meats and beans. A native to Central and Southern Mexico, it grows wild in many areas of Mexico and the United States. It is available here in the Northeast during the summer when the climate is similar to that of Central Mexico

Preparation: Wash the herb by holding the stem and running the leaves under cool water. Remove any larger, tough stems and you can use the smaller stems and/or leaves whole or chopped to the desired size. Chopping the herb will draw out more of itsflavor.  Although papalo is most well known for its flavor in salsas, it is also excellent when used in soups, stews, stir fries, salads and pasta dishes.