Succulent sorrel is more than a spring tonic.

03/29/2003
Succulent sorrel is more than a spring tonic.

It's late March. And what are you harvesting out of your potager? Unless you live in the Pacific Northwest or the South, probably nothing. But if you had sorrel in your garden, you'd already be enjoying your first spring greens.

In France, sorrel is in everyone's garden. And it's easy to find bunches of sorrel leaves in produce stands as well. But sorrel (Rumex acetosa has never really caught on in the United States. Most American cooks don't really know what to do with it. Plus, it actually suffers from its reputation as an herb. Many gardeners may grow it, pick a few leaves, and chop them up fresh to use like, say, thyme or basil. And sorrel just isn't meant to be used that way.

Trouble is, sorrel is practically speaking, an herb-vegetable. That is, you use it more like a vegetable, while it has a distinctive flavor like an herb. The flavor is a delightful acidity, which makes sorrel a fantastic partner to fish, veal, eggs, and potatoes in soup or gratin.

The other thing that is off-putting about sorrel to the inexperienced is that when you cook it, it turns an unappetizing gray-green, and seems to "melt". As for the color of the cooked greens, you'll just have to get over it. But the "melting" quality makes sorrel a fantastic central ingredient for sauces for fish and veal. Your guests will wonder what the mystery ingredient is that gives that sauce such an intriguing tang.

Sorrel is embarrassingly easy to grow. A member of the dock family, it has a vigorous fanged taproot that allows it to thrive even in heavy clay. And, it's perennial. Clumps can be divided every couple of years. It's hardy in all growing zones, but may need partial shade in very hot areas.

To harvest, just cut the leaves at ground level. In the kitchen, break the stems off backwards before using. This will draw out any tough string that continues up the middle of the leaf.

If you've never used sorrel, begin by adding it to your potato soup or gratin. Just saute three or four large handfuls of chopped leaves in a bit of butter until they "melt." Add to your soup at the last minute, then puree if desired. For a gratin, just lay down a layer of sorrel in the middle of the potatoes. I promise you a series of sorrel recipes over the next couple of weeks in the 'Dans la Cuisine' section, but they'll have to wait until I get back from a trip to Senegal. While you're waiting, plant some sorrel. The variety in the photo of my potager is 'Large de Belleville'.

Share

Products of Interest:
Sorrel 'Large de Belleville'