On April 13, 2020
By Rebecca Field
Cucumber and sorrel Soup
1 onion chopped
45 g butter
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
2 1/2 tablespoons pudding rice
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
1.2 litres light chicken or vegetable stock
1 handful of sorrel (around 45 – 60 g), larger stalks removed, shredded
1 tomato, deseeded and diced
Salt and pepper
Chopped chives, to serve
Sweat the onion in the butter in a covered pan for 5 minutes.
Add two-thirds of the cucumber, the rice, the bay leaf and thyme. Stir, cover again and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the stock and some salt and pepper, bring up to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the rice is tender.
Pick out the bay leaf and thyme twig. Stir in the sorrel, then liquidize in batches to form a smooth cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
To serve, reheat gently without boiling, then scatter the remaining cucumber, the tomate dice and some chopped chives over the top.
Lesley water’s rustic sorrel Omelette with a warm Walnut salad
For the omelette:
4 eggs
salt and pepper
25 g butter
2 handfuls of sorrel or rocket, roughly shredded
For the dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
55 g walnut halves, roughly broken up
For the salad:
half a butterhead lettuce, washed
a handful or two of baby salad leaves
To make the dressing, whisk the vinegar with the oil, salt and pepper. Set aside until needed.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk to break up. Season well and add 1 tablespoon water.
Heat the butter in a large frying pan until foaming. Add the sorrel and cook gently until golden brown underneath but still slightly soft and runny on top.
As it cooks, spread the walnuts out on a baking tray and teast in a hot oven for 2-3 minutes until lightly coloured (careful not to burn them). As soon as they are ready, toss the warm nuts with the lettuce, baby leaves and dressing.
Serve at once!
Sorrel and Goat’s cheese Soufflé
50 g butter
40 g plain flour
300 ml milk
3 eggs separated, plus 1 egg white
125 g goat’s cheese, rind, removed, cubed
15 g butter
125 sorrel
salt, pepper
Preheat the oven to 190C°.
Heat the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Stir well to form a roux and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring all the time.
Gradualy add the milk and whisk over a low heat until it thickens. Cook for about 3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Add the egg yolks, beating well, then the goat’s cheese and stir to combine.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the sorrel for about 1 minute, until it just begins to wilt. Remove to a board and chop roughly, then add to the sauce.
Whisk the 4 eggs whites until the form soft peaks, then gently fold a quarter of these into the sauce. Once it has been done, fold in the remaining egg whites very gently, using a cutting and folding action.
Butter a 1.2 litre soufflé dish and pour in the mixture. Do not worry if you think it is rather a lot of mixture, it will rise beautifully. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, until it is well-risen and golden brown. Only check inside the oven after 30 minutes, never before. Serve immediatly.
Salmon with sorrel sauce
A classic!
300 ml fish stock
150 ml dry white wine
3 shallots, peeled and chopped
150 ml double cream
75 g sorrel leaves
15 g butter
salt, pepper
For the fish:
4 medium-sized salmon steaks or fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the sauce, bring the stock, wine and shallots to the boil, then lower the heat slightly and cook over a medium heat, until reduced to about one-third. (This could take up to as long as 10-15 minutes, depending on your saucepan.)
Meanwhile, cook the fish. Place the salmon on an oiled grill-tray and rub in the olive oil. Cook under a preheated grill for about 3-4 minutes each side, depending on the thickness.
Once the sauce has reduced, add the cream and cook until it has a sauce-like consistency. Then strain into a clean pan and bring slowly back to a simmer. Remove the central ribs from the sorrel and tear the leaves into the sauce. Cook for a maximum of 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and whisk in the butter.
Pour the sauce around the salmon and serve at once.
Sorrel and Pine kernel Soup
50 g butter
75 g pine kernels
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
25 g plain flour
900 ml hot chicken stocks
150 g sorrel, washed
salt and pepper
In a large saucepan, heat the butter, then fry the pine kernels gently, for about 3 minutes, until golden. Stir well, as they tend to burn quickly. Remove with slotted spoon.
Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until softened. Then add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the hot chicken stock, then increase the heat and, stirring all the time, bring to the boil. Once it has come fully to the boil, add all the spinach and 125 g of the sorrel. Stir well and cook for about 3 minutes, uncovered, over a fairly high heat.
Tip everything into a liquidiser (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Add the pine kernels and the remaining sorrel and blend it all together. Season to taste and blend until smooth.
Serve with a swirl of cream and some toasted pine kernels!
Spicy Lentils with sorrel
250 g red lentils, rinsed
450 ml water
3 tablespoons groundnut oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt, pepper
125 g sorrel, washed and shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil
First cook the lentils. Place them in a large saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 20 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the groundnut oil and fry the three spices for a half a minute, stirring well. Then tip these, with the oil, into the lentils. Season them well with salt and pepper.
In the same saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons groundnut oil, then drop in the shredded sorrel and cook for about 1-2 minutes, until just wilted.
Stir the sorrel with the oil into the lentils and season again to taste. Stir in the olive oil, then serve!
The 2 first recipes are from Sophie Grigson’s “Herbs” book and the lastes from Sue Lawrence’s, “Feasting on Herbs”
May they bring you joy and diversity in the kitchen!
