Edible Articles: Rumex

Fields: Sorrel uses? | Sorrel v. Spinach

Sorrel uses?

From: dgholston@aol.com (DGholston)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible
Subject: Re: Sorrel uses?

>Can anyone help me with creative uses of sorrel. I have quite a few plants that have come up from last season and I really don't know what to do with it.<

Sorrel makes a very elegant soup called Potage Germiny. The Joy of Cooking has a good recipe and Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking has an even better one. I also use sorrel leaves as a garnish around sliced meats, etc. It can also be added to spinach to give an interest touch. It is a little too tart as a "green" all by itself.

Don Gholston
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From: "Sharon …dmann" <sharon@paonline.com> Reply-To: sharon@paonline.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible
Subject: Re: Sorrel uses?

I used sorrel as a garnish under salmon and the heat of the salmon cooked the sorrel which tasted absolutely fabulous.

Sharon
-- sharon(at)paonline(dot)com
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From: alf.christophersen@basalmed.uio.no (Alf Christophersen)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible
Subject: Re: Sorrel uses?

Why not sorrel stew? Blanch a good plentiful of sorrel leaves and throw water. Make a white sauce (sauce bechamel), cut blanched leaves finely and add. Heat and serve. You should add so much greens that the stew is mostly leaves.
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From: Livia Gaffield <livia@mcs.com>
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible
Subject: Re: Sorrel uses? Reply-To: livia@mcs.com

What a coincidence! I just made Sunday dinner last night with my first sorrel crop of the year. What I did was harvest the entire lot-it grows back without abandon. Then remove all leaves-large and small-and try to eliminate some of the very thick stems on the very large leaves. Rinse well. Shake off water. Put in a large pot and cover to wilt on medium heat. It will change color to an army green. Then I just took some cream cheese I had leftover and a few tablespoons of sour cream and mixed it in with salt & pepper to taste. If you find it is too runny, let it sit awhile and it will thicken. Serve over boiled potatoes or oven roasted. It will have a bite to it. Very good! Livia in Chicago
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Sorrel v. Spinach

From: zvan@my-dejanews.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens,rec.gardens.edible
Subject: Re: Sorrel v. Spinach

In article <3593BEE7.8487E964@inlink.com>,
bradleys@inlink.com wrote:
>
> Jenn wrote:
> >
> > Okay, when I see recipes calling for sorrel, particularly soups, they always
> > say you can substitute spinach...I saw sorrel plants for sale at Home Base,
> > and it looked quite a bit like spinach, just not crinkly and as green...so
> > is there any real difference between these two?

> My understanding of "sorrel" is a plant we called in my youth
> "sourgrass"; this is a common weed in my yard with leaves of three parts
> resembling clover, but smaller and lighter green. Spinach is dark green
> and the leaf has only one part. I don't believe they are related
> botanically, but I'm not sure. At least they look different, grow under
> different conditions and taste different.

the plant you are talking about is "wood sorrel" (Oxalis spp.). It is edible and can be used both for lemonade (boil the leaves, strain) and edible wild plant salads. this is a good-looking woodland plant that some nurseries sell for ground cover (ha. at my place it covers the ground whether i want it or not)

garden sorrel is rumex spp., the same as dock, and does look somewhat like dock, though the leaves are large (4 inches by 2), oval, and not as dark.

(there is also "sheep sorrel", can't remember the spp., which has unmistakable arrow-point leaves and grows wild in midwestern wastelands. all three contain oxalic acid, and all three taste lemony. all three are pretty good in salads. also, the rumors of toxicity of oxalic acid in these doses are greatly exaggerated. i'd rather pay attention not to eat too much parsley, which is far more toxic).

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