Sorrel has a refreshing, sour taste with a slight bitterness and is very rich in vitamin C. It grows wild and is also cultivated; a home kitchen needs no more than 3 or 4 plants.
Growing it
Divide clumps from plants 3 or 4 years old in April, or sow the seed in April in rows 25 cm apart (1 g of seed per square metre), then thin the seedlings to one every 12 to 15 cm. Sorrel needs regular watering. Leaves can be picked 9 to 10 weeks after sowing, but don't strip too many from one plant at once. Young, tender leaves are available all summer; old leaves are very bitter. When small sorrel is over, the larger garden sorrel takes its place in October.
In the kitchen
Sorrel is used fresh only. It seasons fresh cheese, salads and soups, and white sauces for grilled meat and fish. Some cook it with spinach; pouring boiling water over the sorrel for a few minutes and draining it first improves the taste.
Uses
Sorrel is traditionally said to purify the blood, stimulate appetite and aid digestion, and is used for anaemia, liver complaints and skin conditions such as eczema, hives and psoriasis. It contains iron, manganese and potassium oxalate.
Caution: sorrel is high in oxalate, so it should be avoided by people with kidney stones, gout or kidney disease, and eaten only in moderate amounts by everyone else.
Note: these are traditional uses, and most have not been proven by research. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using herbs as medicine, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a long-term illness or take other medicines.
By Dr Elias Jabbour
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