This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
(Article written by Longmont Observer Volunteer: Anne Quinn Corr)
Ode to spring plants:
"Weeds" by Edna St. Vincent Millay
White with daisies and red with sorrel
And empty, empty under the sky!—
Life is a quest and love a quarrel—
Here is a place for me to lie.
Daisies spring from damnèd seeds,
And this red fire that here I see
Is a worthless crop of crimson weeds,
Cursed by farmers thriftily.
But here, unhated for an hour,
The sorrel runs in ragged flame,
The daisy stands, a bastard flower,
Like flowers that bear an honest name.
And here a while, where no wind brings
The baying of a pack athirst,
May sleep the sleep of blessèd things,
The blood too bright, the brow accurst.
Spring rains have brightened the Longmont landscape these past few weeks, making life easier for farmers hauling produce to their farmers market tables. The fresh bite of local spring greens is a blessing after the flatter palate of winter root vegetables and dried beans; it’s time to refresh our taste buds. But underneath the piles of spinach, arugula and kale, there is one green whose brief appearance is a cause célèbre for foodies in the know-- sorrel.
This elusive green is currently available at the Longmont Farmers Market and will wake up dormant taste buds with its citrusy zing. Sorrel’s innocent appearance belies the tangy, assertive nature of the plant. The word derives from the Old French “surele,” or ultimately the Frankish/Germanic “sur,” which aptly describes the taste of the leaves. It is sour! Taste it, and you will see that the exclamation point is no exaggeration.
Very high in vitamin C, sorrel gets its sour punch from high levels of oxalic acid, also high in rhubarb and spinach. If you suffer from arthritis or kidney stones, oxalic acid can aggravate those conditions so sample with caution or pair with a calcium-containing food such as yogurt or milk to mitigate the effect.
A member of the Polygonaceae family that includes buckwheat and rhubarb, sorrel comes in three main varieties—broadleaf, French and red-veined. Broad leaf sorrel is available from a couple of vendors at the Longmont Farmers Market. Both Aspen Moon and Sunseed Farms had it for sale last Saturday (May 12, 2018) and a little can go a long way.
Try snipping smaller leaves into a green salad composed of tender butter lettuces for a surprising burst of lemon. Larger leaves benefit from quick cooking in a little butter or oil with some green garlic or shallot to round out the flavor. Sorrel leaves melt quickly into a sauce but the chlorophyll turns drab olive due to the acidity. To maintain a brighter appearance cook a handful of tender spinach with the sorrel or add a chiffonade of sorrel leaves to the finished dish—or do both.
Sorrel was very popular in the Middle Ages, before global transport made lemons readily available and a sorrel sauce is the perfect accompaniment to fish dishes, especially salmon. The sauce is whisked up in minutes—just as long as it takes to cook the fish. Sorrel sauce is also delicious on poached chicken or even poached eggs for a memorable taste of spring. Eastern Europeans have long esteemed sorrel in classic soups like the Russian schav or Polish zupa szczawiowa, both potato-based soups with lots of sorrel and oxalate-taming sour cream.
The big guns of spring—asparagus, radishes and rhubarb—are plentiful and drawing big crowds. But don’t miss this less appreciated taste of the season, tucked away, waiting to be discovered, waiting to surprise you.
Dover Sole with Sorrel Sauce
Serves 6
Fish:
- 1½ pounds Dover sole (or any other fish. Sole was available last week at Whole Foods for $9.99/pound—a great bargain,) washed and patted dry
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Salt and pepper
Sorrel Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- One stem fresh green garlic (or spring onion or leek, trimmed and minced)
Large handful fresh sorrel (2-3 ounces,) washed and stemmed, and chopped roughly (reserve 2 sorrel leaves and chiffonade for garnish)
- Large handful fresh spinach (2-3 ounces,) washed and stemmed, and chopped roughly
- ¼ cup vegetable stock or water
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush a baking tray with melted butter and arrange the fish fillets in a single layer. Brush the fish with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with salt freshly ground pepper. Bake the fish until just done—about 6-8 minutes or so, depending on the thickness of the fillets. If you are cooking salmon, it may take twice as long.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the garlic(or onion or leek) until translucent. Add the sorrel and the spinach and stir until wilted—just a minute or 2. Add the stock or water and season with salt and pepper to taste. Puree the sorrel-spinach sauce with an immersion blender or in a blender or mash it into a sauce with a fork. Add the cream and adjust seasoning and reheat, if necessary. Serve on top of the fish, with a garnish of the sorrel leaf chiffonade.
Wine pairing: Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc
