Got Sorrel?



Winter visited us again. We had three days of rain, cold, wind and even winter storm warnings in the Sierra. Between storms I took this shot of the oak in front of my house. Imagine how heavy that tree must be with all the rain caught in the leaves.

Don't have any sorrel in your garden? Sorrel is not as popular here in the U.S. as it is in Europe. It is almost never in the market. I am not sure why. Perhaps it is because it wilts easily once it has been cut. But surely European markets and wholesalers to restaurant have the same problem. Whatever the reason, if you are going to buy sorrel you will probably have to find it at a farmers market and even that is iffy. Maybe you will just have to find a plant. When you do it will probably be the Garden Sorrel (rumex acestosa)

If you live in zone 5 or warmer, you can grow sorrel easily and once you have it you will have it for a long time. A plant will last for at least three years, maybe much longer. Every year or so you might find an off-spring popping up. If you don't need it as a replacement, you can share with a friend. Sorrel forms a mound about a foot high.The plant doesn't take much care. A little compost when planted and another handful from time to time. It likes full sun.

I found my plants at my farmers market. Sorrel can be planted from seed, but I have never tried. There are a number of varieties including one, Spinach rhubarb (r.abyssinicus) which grows up to eight feet tall. The leaves can be used like spinach, the stalks like rhubarb. That sounds a bit out of my realm of reality. I grow two kinds of sorrel. Plain old Garden  Sorrel is my stand by. Its leaves are soft, green and more rounded than my second plant. I assume my newer one is related to the French sorrel (r. scutatus) as its leaves are sharply pointed. It is a smaller mound; the leaves have red veins. The color is striking and tiny leaves add that lemon tang to a salad. I bought it because I read that Love Apple Farm was growing it for Chef David Kinch at Manresa Restaurant and I wanted to try it.

Sorrel is used both as an herb and as a vegetable. One usually removes the stem as in other greens. The majority of recipes call for making it into a puree first. It does well in leek based soups, in cream and butter sauces adding a tang similar to lemon. You might want to try it julienned to fine strips to top a fish, especially a white fish like halibut. Top that with melted butter. The puree can be added to a stuffing for chicken or fish.
Here in zone 8B the sorrel is available all year around. In some areas it dies back and in others it needs to be replaced annually. Check with your advisors. As to nutrition, you will find it a source for vitamins A and C and oxalic acid (like spinach).

Sorrel Tart
tarte d'oseillie
This tart has a mild sorrel taste and is very delicate. Serve warm.



Crust

1 pie crust (yours or purchased)

Line a 9", shallow tart pan with the pie crust. Fill with pie weights or beans and bake at 350 for 6 minutes. Remove and let cool. It is only half cooked at this point.

Pureed Sorrel

About 10 ounces of sorrel, stems removed.

1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 cup butter divided

If you don't have a scale the sorrel would be about the same size as a healthy bunch of spinach from the market.

Stem then dice the sorrel. Place in a skillet with the broth and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring until the broth has evaporated. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and stew the mixture until the sorrel has become a puree and any liquid is gone. Remove to a bowl and let cool.

The Rest of the Ingredients

1/2 a large white onion, diced very small

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3 eggs

1 tablespoon minced chives

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Chive blossoms, if desired

Add the remaining butter to the skillet and saute onions slowly over low heat; do not brown. This will take time. Remove and add to sorrel Mixing well. Set aside. 

Heat oven to 375

Whisk together the eggs, cream and pepper. Mix the egg mixture with the sorrel mixture and pour all into the pie shell. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes. Check for doneness by dipping a knife into the custard. If it comes out clean it is ready. It should be just a little jiggly in the center. Set on rack to cool slightly. Decorate with chive blossoms if desired. The tart should be served warm.



 



The Season is On!

is

The Iris have started their season

The weather is great and the gardens are blooming. It is that part of the garden year when we plant and plant and dream of what we will reap No thoughts of the wild turkeys tearing up the greens nor raccoons eating the fruits of our labor, just visions of what will be on the table later. Such a lovely time of year.

While waiting for the weather to cooperate and let me into the garden I noted a few websites that might help anyone who is new to this gardening bit. In the Christian Science Monitor I found Eight Keys to Growing Great Vegetables, excellent advice for the novice as well as those of us who have been around a while.

Roaming around the electronic landscape I found another goody. Patricia Wells has a new book out. I have been a fan of hers since she published The Grand Diplome books. Sorry for the grief they caused her, but ever so grateful for the books. Should you run upon a used set, buy it! You will be ever thankful you did. But to her new book, Salad as a Meal. The recipes are great and as you may know she is a master at explaining things thoroughly and correctly. She is an excellent teacher.

Recipe

As I perused the recipes in Salad as a Meal, I got to thinking.....I have a great recipe to go with these great salads. I hadn't used it for some time so I got it out, made it and yes, this is the roll to go with salads. They are feathery light but there is enough "spunk" here to stand up to almost any dinner or luncheon salad.

Be sure to use good extra sharp Cheddar for this. The pepper should be ground as coarsely as your pepper grinder allows. As I said, this roll has spunk!

Peppery Cheddar Rolls

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour

1 scant tablespoon instant dry yeast (1 package)

2 tablespoons potato buds (instant potatoes)
1 Tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

3/4 cups milk

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons oil

2 eggs, room temperature; one for the dough, one for the glaze

2/3 cup coarsely shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese

Sesame seeds, optional

Into a large bowl place half of the flour and all the yeast and pepper. Stir to mix. Warm the milk slightly (to about 90 degrees). Add the salt and sugar, stirring to dissolve. Pour this into the flour mix, add the egg and beat for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and continue beating for four minutes.

Stir in the cheese. Add 1 cup flour and beat for another two minutes. Change to dough hook, or turn out on a floured board and beat in or knead in all or most of the remaining flour. The dough should clear the bowl but still be soft and sticky if using a mixer or should be soft, have the structure to form a ball and still be sticky if kneading.

Place the dough in a well oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 90 minutes. When well risen turn out on a flowered board, deflating the dough just enough to work with it. Cut into 12 pieces.

Roll each into a rope about 8 inches long.

Make a loop with this rope, placing right end over the left.

Continue with what was the right end and move it under the circle and up into the middle. Tuck in securely

Take the remaining end and pull it over and into the center of the bun, poking it in deeply. If it isn't  perfectly smooth, don't worry, it won't show in the end.

Set on parchment covered baking pan. Repeat with each rope. Quickly beat the remaining egg, just enough to mix well. Paint each roll with this egg glaze. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if using. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 375 and bake 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm with summer salad.

Enjoy