How to grow and use the sorrel herb.
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Sorrel - how to grow the sorrel herb , and use the sorrel herb in cooking and for healthy living.
Sorrel is a great herb that is often overlooked. Sorrel is easy to grow and has lots of uses.Sorrel is a secret right under your nose, waiting to be discovered.
I grow sorrel in my herb garden , where the sorrel comes up fresh and green every April, and lasts through until October, provided you keep cutting the sorrel tops off. We've had a warm spell here in March, so the sorrel is growing well. We've been enjoying fresh sorrel in salads.
Sorrel is often found growing wild , and is overlooked by most people, thinking that it is just a weed. The sorrel that you see growing in the wild is the same variety as garden sorrel, and can be used in sorrel recipes.
However, sorrel does get tough when the plant becomes old, and wild sorrel may be very bitter. In the garden, it is a good idea to replant sorrel every few years to keep the plants young and tender.
It seems that many people don't know how to use the sorrel herb. Sorrel is a great herb to use in cooking, and also sorrel was traditionally used to improve health. Sorrel has many uses in traditional herbal remedies and alternative medicine.
The tender young sorrel herb leaves have a wide variety of uses in cooking and recipes, in salads, in soups and in sauces.
Sorrel leaves, like the leaves of most herbs,also have traditional medicinal properties, and sorrel can be tried as a herbal remedy for various health problems.
Sorrel was once a common ingredient in soups, stews, salads and sauces, but the sorrel plant vanished from regular use in cooking for hundreds of years. Now this delightful, leafy green sorrel herb is finding its way back into gardens and kitchens, where its lemony flavor and nutritional value can be enjoyed each spring and summer.
I'm going to look at how to use the sorrel herb in cooking and for health.
Sorrel has a great affinity with eggs , so makes a great addition to an omlette- sorrel omlette is a touch more exotic than a basic cheese omlette! Sorrel, with its lemon flavor, also has a natural link to all fish dishes.
I'll look at the history of sorrel , sorrel in cooking, sorrel in medicine, and how to grow your own sorrel in your herb garden.
Many of the top chefs and cookery writiers are using sorrel, and I've included links to articles and recipes for sorrel written by cookery experts and herb experts.These will show you how to use sorrel in lots of ways.
Enjoy reading about, growing and using the sorrel herb.
Photos are my own, or creative commons from flickr. This intro photo is thanks to Nick Saltmarsh under a flickr commercial use creative commons license
I grow sorrel in my herb garden , where the sorrel comes up fresh and green every April, and lasts through until October, provided you keep cutting the sorrel tops off. We've had a warm spell here in March, so the sorrel is growing well. We've been enjoying fresh sorrel in salads.
Sorrel is often found growing wild , and is overlooked by most people, thinking that it is just a weed. The sorrel that you see growing in the wild is the same variety as garden sorrel, and can be used in sorrel recipes.
However, sorrel does get tough when the plant becomes old, and wild sorrel may be very bitter. In the garden, it is a good idea to replant sorrel every few years to keep the plants young and tender.
It seems that many people don't know how to use the sorrel herb. Sorrel is a great herb to use in cooking, and also sorrel was traditionally used to improve health. Sorrel has many uses in traditional herbal remedies and alternative medicine.
The tender young sorrel herb leaves have a wide variety of uses in cooking and recipes, in salads, in soups and in sauces.
Sorrel leaves, like the leaves of most herbs,also have traditional medicinal properties, and sorrel can be tried as a herbal remedy for various health problems.
Sorrel was once a common ingredient in soups, stews, salads and sauces, but the sorrel plant vanished from regular use in cooking for hundreds of years. Now this delightful, leafy green sorrel herb is finding its way back into gardens and kitchens, where its lemony flavor and nutritional value can be enjoyed each spring and summer.
I'm going to look at how to use the sorrel herb in cooking and for health.
Sorrel has a great affinity with eggs , so makes a great addition to an omlette- sorrel omlette is a touch more exotic than a basic cheese omlette! Sorrel, with its lemon flavor, also has a natural link to all fish dishes.
I'll look at the history of sorrel , sorrel in cooking, sorrel in medicine, and how to grow your own sorrel in your herb garden.
Many of the top chefs and cookery writiers are using sorrel, and I've included links to articles and recipes for sorrel written by cookery experts and herb experts.These will show you how to use sorrel in lots of ways.
Enjoy reading about, growing and using the sorrel herb.
Photos are my own, or creative commons from flickr. This intro photo is thanks to Nick Saltmarsh under a flickr commercial use creative commons license
Contents at a Glance
The History of Sorrel
What's the background to modern sorrel?
Sorrels and their relatives, docks, are members of the Rumex family, found mainly in temperate climates all over the world. Although many Rumex species are considered weeds throughout the United States and in many parts of Europe, sorrels have long been cultivated as culinary herbs, valued for their lemony flavor. The French have always loved sorrel, though the variety that they use is slightly different to mine, which is Rumex Acetosa.Wild sorrel (Rumex acetosa)Photo thanks to geograph.org
The sorrel herb is worth a place in any herb garden- here is my herb garden .
This is the common sorrel. I also have the beautiful striped variegated sorrel which looks great in salads, and which doesn't grow so tall.
Europeans grew and used garden sorrel , a perennial with long, arrow-shaped leaves-until the milder-flavored, round-leaved variety now known as French sorrel, was developed in Italy and France in the Middle Ages. French sorrel became popular in England toward the end of the 16th century, and by the 17th century, it was the preferred form. However, garden sorrel has now become popular again in its own right.
John Evelyn , the 17th Century diarist wrote enthusiatically about sorrel in 1720.. He said it added 'so grateful a quickness to the salad that it should never be left out.'
He then wrote-
'Sorrel sharpens the appetite, assuages heat, cools the liver and strengthens the heart; is an antiscorbutic, resisting putrefaction and in the making of sallets imparts a grateful quickness to the rest as supplying the want of oranges and lemons." In other words, he says it gives an acidity to a meal, and could be used when oranges or lemons were not available.
(Just a note- garden sorrel is no relation to wood sorrel, which is in fact an Oxalis. Neither is it the same variety of sorrel used in the West Indies in drinks and cookery often found in the dried version.)
In recent years, sorrel has been appearing on the menus of top restaurants, and in recipes. As part of the "grow your own vegetables" movement it is now finding a place on table for the first time in many years. Is there a place for sorrel in your herb garden and on your table?
If you are interested in sorrel, you might like to also read Sorrel and lovage- 2 unusual herbs , and I've also written an interesting article all about lovage which I think you will find useful.
Lovage - how to grow and use the lovage herb
Lovage- a little known herb that is easy to grow in your herb garden and which makes a big impact in soups, salad, stuffings and stews. Lovage is a very vers...
Sorrel in cooking
Sorrel in salads, sorrel soup and sorrel sauce
At White Moss House , Grasmere, we have been using sorrel in our award winning meals for 30 years.
The simplest way to use sorrel is to mix the young leaves in a simple salad, and dress with your favorite dressing.
Another way to use sorrel is simply to "chiffonade" it and use it as a garnish on top of meat or fish.
This lovely picture of Sorrel and Scallops is thanks to tinybanquet and flickr creative commons
To "chiffonade" sorrel, or any other green leaf, simply roll the leaf longways into a sausage shape, and cut slices. This simple trick produces a professional looking garnish.
Sorrel also makes a wonderful green soup.
Photo thanks to absentmindedprof and flickr creative commons
I like to garnish it with chives from my herb garden and maybe swirl in a lick of cream or yoghurt for contrast.
The simplest way to use sorrel is to mix the young leaves in a simple salad, and dress with your favorite dressing.
Photo thanks to Jasmine and Roses, flickr creative commons
Another way to use sorrel is simply to "chiffonade" it and use it as a garnish on top of meat or fish.
This lovely picture of Sorrel and Scallops is thanks to tinybanquet and flickr creative commons
To "chiffonade" sorrel, or any other green leaf, simply roll the leaf longways into a sausage shape, and cut slices. This simple trick produces a professional looking garnish.
Sorrel also makes a wonderful green soup.
Photo thanks to absentmindedprof and flickr creative commons
I like to garnish it with chives from my herb garden and maybe swirl in a lick of cream or yoghurt for contrast.
Recipes for using sorrel
Sorrel recipes
In recent years there has been a revival in the use of sorrel.
Here are some recipes from top chefs, using the sorrel herb.
Here are some recipes from top chefs, using the sorrel herb.
- Salmon with parsley and sorrel sauce
- A lovely fresh green sorrel sauce gives acidty to a fish dish, rather like using lemon.
- Sorrel Pesto
- Sorrel can be used to make a pesto sauce, as you would do with basil or other green herbs. This is a simple recipe from John Burton Race
- Sorrel sauce
- A very, very simple way to make sorrel sauce, from Tom Parker Bowles
- Hot new potato and sorrel salad
- An easy recipe giving a new twist to potato salad from River Cottage chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
- Sorrel and goat's cheese quiche
- Here a great one to try from "twosmallfarms", a brilliant blog
- Best Sorrel soup recipe
- This recipe for sorrel soup comes from the weightlosstips website, which tells you all you need to know about the healthy properties of sorrel
If you want to get started with sorrel right away, buy a plant!
You can buy your sorrel plant through amazon.
Sorrel grows well from seed, but if you want to start with a ready grown plant, you can buy this variagated variety from amazon.
I have some of this in my herb garden, and it looks great in the garden and great in salads.
I have some of this in my herb garden, and it looks great in the garden and great in salads.
Edible Bloodwort/Sorrell - 4 Plants - Rumex
Amazon Price: (as of 06/04/2012)
Decorative and tasty. Start learning to love sorrel right away when you order this from amazon.
Chop your herbs on this special herb chopping board
Natural maple wood for a dedicated herb chopping board.
A very special chopping board that would make a great gift for herb growers.
John Boos 10-Inch Square Maple Mezzaluna Herb Cutting Board
Amazon Price: $43.65 (as of 06/04/2012)
I have one of these for chopping my herbs on. The bowl like shape keeps the herbs neatly in one place/ Keep this beautiful board for herbs only, so they stay pure and healthy!
Medicinal uses for sorrel
The Great Herbalist , Nicholas Culpepper wrote about sorrel in "the Complete Herbal" in 1653.This is his discription on the virtues of sorrel.
'Sorrel is prevalent in all hot diseases, to cool any inflammation and heat of blood in agues pestilential or choleric, or sickness or fainting, arising from heat, and to refresh the overspent spirits with the violence of furious or fiery fits of agues: to quench thirst, and procure an appetite in fainting or decaying stomachs: For it resists the putrefaction of the blood, kills worms, and is a cordial to the heart, which the seed doth more effectually, being more drying and binding.... Both roots and seeds, as well as the herb, are held powerful to resist the poison of the scorpion. . . . The leaves, wrapt in a colewort leaf and roasted in the embers, and applied to a large imposthume, botch boil, or plague-sore, doth both ripen and break it. The distilled water of the herb is of much good use for all the purposes aforesaid"
If this all seems a little confusing and daunting, he is simply saying that sorrel has a cooling influence. It can be made into an infusion, which is supposed to help fevers.
It also is a diuretic, so can be used to cleanse stomch upsets.
Also, a paste of sorrel was sometimes used on wounds and sores. It does have antiseptic qualities.
It was also recommended for scurvy!
Another name for garden sorrel is Sheep Sorrel
I would not make any special claims for the medicinal uses of sorrel, but it does make a cooling, acidic drink that might ( just might!) help relieve some digestive problems.
For more information you can read herbal remedies using sorrel .
All these traditional herbal remedies are based on tradition. They are not guaranteed- try at your own risk!
Sorrel tea, known as essiac is though by some to help in the natural treatment to stop the spread of cancer
If you are short of space for a herb garden, here's a solution.
This is a pop up grow anywhere bag for your herbs
With four pockets taking up to 7 plants, 12 inches across and 24 inches high, this grow bag is the solution to growing herbs in a small space.
Gardman 7515 Herb Pop Up Planter, Green
Amazon Price: $7.68 (as of 06/04/2012)
Grow herbs in this neat green bag if you are short on space. Great for a balcony, patio or greenhouse.
Essiac , a herbal remedy which uses sorrel , can be found on Amazon.
You might like to think about trying this traditional herbal remedy, which is claimed by some to help with the alternative treatments of cancer.
Essiac International - Essiac Herbal Tea, 1.5 oz powder
Amazon Price: $26.16 (as of 06/04/2012)
This is Essiac tea- made from sorrel and other herbs, and thought to have useful properties for alternative medicine.
How to grow sorrel
Grow the sorrel plant in your garden.
Sorrel is a close relative of dock, and has similar large, arrow-shaped leaves. It is one of those reliable herbs that once established, will supply you generously with greens from very early spring to late fall - a real 'cut and come again' crop.
Sorrel produces best in a rich soil, but will grow in any well-drained soil, and can be planted in sun or partial shade. Prepare the bed by digging in generous amounts of aged manure or compost. An occasional dressing of compost is all that is required during the growing season. The plants should be kept moist, so water well during dry summer months.
Sorrel plants can be purchased from a garden centre or started from seed. you know someone with an established sorrel plant, ask for a small cutting. It grows so well in my herb garden that I'm always happy to dig up a piece to give to someone.
Seeds should be sown in early spring by planting them 1/4 - 1/2" deep, and six inches apart. When the plants are several inches high, thin the seedlings to 8'-12" apart. The plants will grow into fairly sizable clumps, anywhere from 16" - 24" high, and will produce tangy, edible leaves approximately four months after thinning. Remove the rust red flowers when they appear in summer by cutting the flowering stem, or the plant will put its energy into seed, not leaf, production. When the plant gets very leggy towards the end of summer, you can cut it right back , and if there is a spell of September sunshine you'll get fresh new leaves again.
Once your sorrel is established it is easy to care for. Water in very dry conditions, cut back regularly and you'll have wonderful fresh sorrel leaves for month every year.
Sorrel produces best in a rich soil, but will grow in any well-drained soil, and can be planted in sun or partial shade. Prepare the bed by digging in generous amounts of aged manure or compost. An occasional dressing of compost is all that is required during the growing season. The plants should be kept moist, so water well during dry summer months.
Sorrel plants can be purchased from a garden centre or started from seed. you know someone with an established sorrel plant, ask for a small cutting. It grows so well in my herb garden that I'm always happy to dig up a piece to give to someone.
Seeds should be sown in early spring by planting them 1/4 - 1/2" deep, and six inches apart. When the plants are several inches high, thin the seedlings to 8'-12" apart. The plants will grow into fairly sizable clumps, anywhere from 16" - 24" high, and will produce tangy, edible leaves approximately four months after thinning. Remove the rust red flowers when they appear in summer by cutting the flowering stem, or the plant will put its energy into seed, not leaf, production. When the plant gets very leggy towards the end of summer, you can cut it right back , and if there is a spell of September sunshine you'll get fresh new leaves again.
Once your sorrel is established it is easy to care for. Water in very dry conditions, cut back regularly and you'll have wonderful fresh sorrel leaves for month every year.
Here's the book that tells you all you need to know about growing and using hebrs.
This is a one stop comprehensive guide to herbs
Your Backyard Herb Garden: A Gardener's Guide to Growing Over 50 Herbs Plus How to Use Them in Cooking, Crafts, Companion Planting and More
Amazon Price: $3.11 (as of 06/04/2012)
This is one of the best value, most useful books you can buy. If you like herbs, you'll love this book.
I write a lot about herbs- here are more of my herbal lenses.
Persnoal experience of all these herbs shared with you right here.
How to grow and use the herb Sweet CicelySweet cicely- what a lovely name for a herb, and sweet cicely is such a pretty, delightful herb for your herb garden. Not only does sweet cicely look pretty,...
Lovage - how to grow and use the lovage herbLovage- a little known herb that is easy to grow in your herb garden and which makes a big impact in soups, salad, stuffings and stews. Lovage is a very vers...
How to grow and use fresh herbs from you herb gardenYou only need one plant pot to grown fresh herbs. If you're lucky enough to have a yard, a small herb garden in your yard gives all your food the biggest pos...
If you only grow one thing, grow lavender. The scent of lavender calms, soothes and lift the spirit. You can grow lavender in a tub, on a windowsill, in a y...
All about herbs.Here's a great collection the best herb lenses.There are tips on how to grow herbs, how to use herbs, and lot of great herb recipes. One of my very first len...
Beautiful Blue BorageI grow borage in my herb garden for the beautiful blue borage flowers. Borage is really a summer herb. It's used to garnish summer drinks and desserts. Rig...
How to grow and use the sorrel herb.Sorrel is a great herb that is often overlooked. Sorrel is easy to grow and has lots of uses.Sorrel is a secret right under your nose, waiting to be discover...
Sorrel comes in all various shapes and sizes.
Just a few sorrel related ideas from Amazon.
Buy the sorrel seeds, the sorrel herb or the sorrel extract.
Be inspired by great books about herbs and their usage.
Be inspired by great books about herbs and their usage.
The best gifts for herb lovers
Anyone who loves herbs would love herbal gifts for any occasion.
I love all things herb related. I would always love to receive a herbal gift for my birthday or any special occasion. Here I've picked the best gifts for women who love herbs.
If you love herbs there are great bargains on ebay.
Herbs and herb gardens, sorrel, basil, rosemary- herbs on ebay.
Look and see if you can find any herb gifts, treats , presents or just something you want for yourself on ebay.
Here are some great articles and tips about cooking with sorrel
Take a look at these interesting links for more ways to use sorrel.
This lovely picture of variagated sorrel comes from clg20171 and flickr creative commons
I grow this variagated sorrel as well as the plain green sorrel- it looks really great in a salad or as a granish.
Sorrel is a hot topic! Here are some great chefs and writers telling you what they know about sorrel.
It's worth taking a look at what the experts are saying.
- Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall gives tips on using sorrel
- Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has champoined the use of traditional foods in his TV programs, articles and books form his River Cottage. This article about sorrel conatins tips for cooking sorrel, sorrel recipes, and using sorrel in your meals. As well as suggesting ways of using sorrel in sandwiches, and for canapes and salads, there are recipes for sorrel pesto ,sorrel with mackerel, and hot new potato and sorrel salad.
- A great blog from Twosmallfarms about sorrel
- This is a really interesting blog, from small farms who distribute vegetable boxes. It contains good ideas and recipes for using sorrel, including a good sorrel soup recipe
- Sorrel on the BBC food website
- The BBC ( yes the British Broadcasting Corporation) knows a lot about everything, including food and gardening. This wonderful link tells you about the sorrel herb, and has links to lots of great recipes from it's programmes, and top chefs such as Raymond Blanc and Rick Stein. This is a great sorrel portal.
Where do you stand on sorrel? ( not literally of course)
Familiar with sorrel or know nothing about sorrel?
You've arrived here, so you must be curious to some extent about sorrel.
Why not join the poll about sorrel- it doesn't take a minute to leave your vote.
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10 Reasons why you should grow herbs.
As you've read this page, you're already showing an interest in herbs. Great! Here's why I think everyone should grow herb, along with lots of tips for using herbs.
10 reasons to grow herbs
I'm a herb evangelist, trying to persuade you that growing herbs is an easy way to improve your wellbeing and quality of life. You can start with just a few ...
Sorrel is just one of nature's wonderful herbs
Who is writing about herbs?
Sorrel, herbs, herb gardens, herb recipes- all about herbs in the blogosphere.
- Gardening Tips: Herbs are a Must for the Garden
- By Michele Taranto Make an herb garden similar to this at a March 10 workshop at any of seven metro Detroit English Gardens locations. English Gardens Herbs can add so much depth to a dish, but those bunches from the grocery store never seem to last ...
- Herb enthusiast to spice up tour of Westgate properties
- By Andrew King At his Palmetto Street house, Ken Wright will regale Westgate Home & Garden Tour visitors about his herbs, flowers and vegetables. When approaching the Westgate home of Ken Wright, one might wonder whether the 42-year-old is an eccentric ...
- New garden gives CAPSA clients safe place to grow fruits, veggies, herbs
- Located at CAPSA in Logan, the garden consists of several raised beds, now planted with cucumbers, beans, squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, strawberries, herbs and other plants. Local landscapers and volunteers donated hours of their time to build the garden ...
- Gardening Etcetera: Your favorite herbs
- But if you ask most people what their favorite herb is, the answers are slow to come, or something sarcastic about the one that is smokable. The answer comes slowly to me, too, not because I don't know, but because I just can't choose.
I grow herbs in my herb garden in Grasmere
Here's my Grasmere garden blog.
I write about my garden at Grasmere in the Lake District. See what's happening- please visit- and follow my blog too if you like!
Have you used sorrel? Or grown sorrel?
Please let me know if you have been interested enough to think about growing or using sorrel.
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Dierdra
May 19, 2012 @ 1:44 am | delete
- I have a sorrel plant but do not know how to use it. I know it goes well with fish and maybe chicken? I've learned from this site maybe in salad?
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Denise
May 9, 2012 @ 12:31 pm | delete
- I'd never heard of sorrel until a friend from the Caribbean made a drink out of it, kind of strong, but not bad.
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jholland Apr 25, 2012 @ 7:28 pm | delete
- I tried to grow it once with no success. Thanks for the info. I think I'll try again.
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vegetablegardenhub
Apr 24, 2012 @ 1:38 pm | delete
- Wow, I never heard of sorrel before, have to try it now! Great lens!
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empathzone
Apr 1, 2012 @ 4:47 pm | delete
- Very nice lens! I´m being pulled by herbs more and more as time goes by.
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My home White Moss House was owned by Wordsworth. It's now a guest house in England's Lake District You can stay here!
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Jekka McVicar is the Queen of herbs
This book by Jekka McVicar is the best book about herbs in the world ( in my opinion)
The Complete Herb Book
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 06/04/2012)
Jekka McVicar has won numerous awards from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), and is a star of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Her herb farm has pioneered the reintroduction of herbs into modern gardens.
If you are in the UK, buy the book from Amazon.co.uk by clinking on the link below.
Jekka's Complete Herb Book:
In Association with the Royal Horticultural Society
More herbs for your Kindle - grown and cook with herbs
Store all the herb information on your Kindle
Herbal Kitchen, The: 50 Easy-to-Find Herbs and Over 250 Recipes to Bring Lasting Health to You and Your Family
Amazon Price: (as of 06/04/2012)
There is so much information about herbs here. Why not download this great guide to your Kindle?
A witch's garden- old uses for herbs
This book about ancient remedies is available for the Kindle.
Garden Witch's Herbal: Green Magick, Herbalism & Spirituality
Amazon Price: (as of 06/04/2012)
This a book about magick and witches and the ancient ways with herbs- all ready to download to the very modern, but magical Kindle.
UK readers can buy this here Garden Witch's Herbal: Green Magick, Herbalism & Spirituality
from Amazon.co.uk
