One of the European greens I’ve grown this year for the first time is something I got hooked on at the farmer’s market this winter. Of course it will probably never come to a grocery store near you but the good news is that it grows easily in cooler climates. In Seattle that means I can grow it in the spring, summer and fall. If I cover the raised diamond areas of my garden boxes with plexiglass I may even be able to grow it in the winter.
French sorrel is a domesticated version of a weed – meaning it has a full nutritional profile. It’s high in vitamin C, A and iron. The leaves do contain oxalic acid (as do parsley, spinach, chard and beets) so you should avoid it if you are prone to kidney stones. It looks like spinach without that strange mouth-feel and the biggest surprise is it tastes like it has a shot of lemon juice on it. It’s perfect blended into a salad, or with small chiffonades of leaves mixed into savory salads like pasta or quinoa salad.
Tonight I served it under a plate of Loki salmon cakes with a chive sour cream sauce and the lemon flavor was the perfect complement.
My five year old can’t get enough of this plant – he’s a sour patch kind of guy. He can’t walk by the plants without stooping to pick off a leaf and eat it. The great thing about growing leafy plants like these is you trim or pinch off the outer leaves of the plants and use them. The rest of the plant keeps growing and producing to fill your tummy for future meals. No waste or rotting greens in your refrigerator drawer (and you know you have some).
If you’ve never tried French Sorel head down to a local farmer’s market this week. Better yet order your seeds now from http://www.TerritorialSeed.com and start a patch of your own.
Cool! I’ll put in on my seed list for the cold frame this fall!
Pingback: Dear French Sorrel, Where Have You Been All My Life?
Hi Annette, I just recently started following your blog and I love it. I like to garden in the Pacific NW too. I have never tried French Sorrel and will need to get some seeds ASAP. I love citrus flavors.
However, today I am a discouraged gardener. Last night a deer got into my garden and ate the tops off some of my tomato plants and my sugar snap peas that were just starting to flower. I have never had a deer before. I am in the middle of the city! I’ve seen them within a half mile of my home (they come up from by the Willamette River by way of a cemetary), but never in my yard before. The neighbor took down and is rebuilding the fence on the north side of my yard which is how there was access. Ate some of his garden too. It is sad.
Keep up the good work with your sustainable living!
Oh Mary I’m so sorry! Deer are one thing I don’t have to worry about here. I haven’t a clue what you do for them except fence everything off but from what I understand they can jump really high fences! Hopefully the fence situation will be fixed next year or for fall at least. In the meantime maybe you can plant some fall crops and use floating row cover with garden staples? I’m just about to order my fall seeds now and hopefully I’ll be posting on that next week (along with the irrigation system, my nemesis…)
Pingback: This is Just to Say … « Elizabeth Nolan Brown
thank you! i’ve been wondering what sorrel is all about. i’ve tasted the leaves of plants for sale, but wasn’t sure how to put them to use. these are great ideas, with the salmon, especially!
Angela this is from last year, just after we started the garden. I just read where I said I *may* be able to grow it under plexi glass -hah! I didn’t cold frame anything this year and I only lost 1 kind of cabbage, even with our crazy December. This totally overwinters here with no protection at all.
I started with one plant a couple of years ago and now have the challenge of keeping the many new ones in their own space. Are there recipes for sorel?
Hi Carlyn,
Try making and freezing pesto cubes. It’s good as a sauce over fish. I add chiffonade of leaves to green salads or add it to pasta or rice salads as well. You can also make cream of sorel just like cream of spinach, add it to souffles or soups.