We’re all pretty familiar with spinach, arugula and chard these days but have you ever heard of sorrel?
It’s popping up everywhere right now in fields, farmer’s markets and specialty grocers and it’s pretty exciting. You all know I’m a big fan of taking something familiar in the kitchen and making it new again – it’s kitchen innovation, if you will; Inspiration for something exciting and tasty1 I’m pretty sure sorrel fits that particular menu.
If you haven’t heard of it, sorrel is a green leafy plant used for cooking. There’s a plethora of related plants that use the word “sorrel” as part of their names, but only two are normally used in the kitchen.
- Garden sorrel (the edible kind) has large leaves that look a lot like a spinach/swiss chard hybrid and is usually foraged for.
- While French sorrel has smaller leaves and is more often grown in home gardens.
Similar to other “foragable edibles” like dandelion greens or some species of chard, sorrel has a bitter, almost tart flavor, in part due to oxalic acid – a poison that can be toxic in large quantities. Luckily, we don’t eat sorrell for breakfast, lunch and dinner and often use it sparingly (think like an herb) to impart an Earthy, lemony flavor to dishes like salads, soups and stews.
So why would you want to eat sorrel if it’s poisonous? Because it’s exciting, fresh and new! Wow moments are created in the kitchen when unexpected flavors, textures and even smells and sights are experienced. It’s those moments – when a light-bulb goes on and you go “ah-HA!” – that make cooking worthwhile and memories last.
Who wants to eat the same old boiled potatoes and grilled chicken night after night? Don’t get me wrong – I love boiled potatoes and grilled chicken, but serving them up with a sauteed mix of sorrel, dandelion greens and a few fresh edible flowers takes the standard meal from good to exceptional.
Plus, it tastes delicious.
Intrigued? Me too! Here are 50 Things to Do with Fresh Sorrel to get you started.
Keep Eating! Keep Innovating!
Do you cook with sorrel? Ever tried it before? What other “poisonous” foods can you think of? Which leafy greens do you love? Loathe? Share your sorrel – and other leafy greens – ideas below or on the Facebook Page!
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Great post! Thank you for the ideas. I have used chaya quite a lot in making picadillo dishes, banana flower stir fry and even with scrambled eggs and potatoes. Sorrel seems like a great alternative to the run-of-the-mill greens!