One of the best spring greens you will ever come across and personal favourite of mine. Sorrel is indigenous to Britain and has been used over the centuries. It had a particular place up to the time of Henry VIII; from then on the introduction of French sorrel with its broader leaves slowly discouraged the use of our indigenous species.
In the past it has been viewed as a plant used by the lower classes for flavouring with meat and other foodstuffs. As with most wild foods, which are becoming increasingly fashionable these days as the big name restaurants of London are finally catching on, sorrel is most highly prized for its zesty, lemon tang. This means it can be used in a whole manner ways particularly as a substitute for lemon or lime. Therefore it is not surprising that this little plant has been known in a medicinal sense to cure scurvy as well as being used as a diuretic.
There are two types of sorrel, the one pictured is common sorrel and the other being a much more dainty version known as wood sorrel (picture below) that vaguely resembles a clover. Both taste more or less the same except you have to do a little more gathering if you’re after wood sorrel.
Sorrel is a simple plant to identify. Its leaves are a distinctive shield shape and can be found as early as March in hedgerows and pastures especially in damp, darker areas where the leaves grow larger. From May to August a stem begins to develop and grow up to about two feet, which is topped off with spikes of small red and green flowers. Wood sorrel is equally simple to identify and is often accompanied by a tiny white flower with small pink lines on its petals.
What to do with it? Well, in the past this zesty little plant was used as a sauce for fish, and I would definitely recommend this recipe better known as green sauce. This is my own take on a basic recipe which has been used for centuries. The idea being to let the flavour of the sorrel stand out instead of drowning it with the traditional amount of malt vinegar they used to put in.
- 1 handful of sorrel leaves.
- 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of white wine
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
This is an incredibly basic sauce and I have found it is spectacular with any fish; personally I like it with mackerel straight off the BBQ. Finely chop your sorrel to begin with and put the wine, vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan. Gently heat until all the sugar has dissolved. I usually transfer the sauce and sorrel into a pestle and mortar and grind it into paste. Add a little salt and pepper to your taste and serve. The result is a fantastic piquant sauce that can be used with, to be quite honest, anything. You can even spread it straight onto bread!
Other culinary delights that this plant offers are never ending. Mix it up with some mayonnaise for a refreshing dip with crudités or stir them up in a pot of new potatoes just before you serve them. They also make a good companion to fried mushrooms. Do take note however that the leaves only take a minute to wilt and to overcook them is a sin, the flavour will dissipate and camouflage sludge will be left behind.
So the next time you happen upon a small patch of sorrel, don’t hesitate to take a little home with you, or at least taste it. Don’t be afraid to be a little creative, I can guarantee you will find a use for it in the kitchen in some way. Enjoy!
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