The market · Vegetables · Northern and Central Europe

Sorrel

A leaf that tastes sharply of lemon, from its oxalic acid, and turns khaki the moment it's cooked.

sour · lemony · green
Sorrel

What to do with it

Ibu Sari's Beef rendangSorrel would cut through its richnessAna Etxarri's Pil pilSorrel would cut through its richnessTolu Adeyemi's SuyaSorrel would cut through its richnessTolu Adeyemi's Rendang, the Lagos waySorrel would cut through its richness

Kinds

Garden sorrel
Broad, spear-shaped leaves; the one for soups and sauces.
Buckler-leaf sorrel
Small, shield-shaped, milder — good raw.
Red-veined sorrel
Mostly for looks in salads.

If you can't find it

Farmers' markets; easy to grow.

  1. 1Spinach
    The same weight, with lemon juice
    You lose the clean, lemony sourness of the leaf itself.

Goes with

eggcreamsalmonpotato

Knowing it

Where to buy
Farmers' markets, or grow it — it comes back every year. In the Caribbean and West Africa, 'sorrel' means hibiscus, a different plant.
A little history
Zupa szczawiowa, Polish sorrel soup with egg, is a spring staple.
Worth knowing
Stir in at the last moment, or melt it into butter or cream as a sauce for fish.

More vegetables, in season with it

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