You might be starting to suspect that I have some dastardly ulterior motive; I seem to be on a run of “potentially poisonous” food ingredients! (Refer to juniper article last week.) But honestly, it is just a fluke and I wouldn’t write about anything that I haven’t tried myself first, or fed to at least one or two unsuspecting family members or guests.

        My most recent adventure started as many do, when I went in search of a new sauce, in this instance for salmon. I found several recipes from some of the better-known inns on Vancouver Island, which contained sorrel leaves as the main ingredient. This led me to believe that I should have no trouble finding the herb, which didn’t prove to be the case.

Sorrel is a member of the rhubarb family, and contains the same chemical, oxalic acid, which makes the rhubarb leaf poisonous. In sorrel, the concentration is less, but it is this component that gives the leaf of the plant its characteristic tangy, citrus flavour.

            Because of its tartness, the herb makes a perfect sauce for rich, fatty foods such as salmon. In French cooking, sorrel sauce is almost synonymous with salmon dishes. Not only is the sharp, citrus flavour a nice contrast, but also the green colour compliments the bright orange of the fish. The French know that appearance is almost as important as taste in any dish.

            The French have also long used sorrel as an ingredient in many egg and potato dishes, as well as a main ingredient for soups. Young leaves can be cooked and eaten like you would spinach (which they do look like) or added to other greens for a salad with an interesting zing. As the leaves mature, they become sourer and are better used as flavouring for other foods or in creamy soups and sauces.

            Sorrel is easy to find in Europe, where it is popular, but it seems that North Americans haven’t caught on to its versatility yet. A recipe I found from an inn on Mayne Island mentioned that it might be hard to find sorrel in the grocery store but that this hardy perennial was easy to grow. I had to wonder if it would grow in time for dinner!      

            I found both seeds and bedding-out plants at a garden centre without too much problem. I bought the plants because, well, they are just so much more convenient and ready-to-use. The likelihood of my ever planting the packets of seeds is slim to none, so if anyone wants to try some, call me.

Biting into one of the young leaves reminded me instantly of all the times my kids had given me a sour gummi candy, swearing that I would love it. And then the mouth-puckering jolt would hit. The flavour is also reminiscent of the first crabapples of the season or of raw rhubarb: sour and yet sweet somehow at the same time. Not unpleasant, just surprising.

And now for the bad news: because oxalic acid prevents the absorption of magnesium and calcium, it is not recommended for anyone suffering gout, rheumatism or arthritis. It is also not recommended that anyone eat tons of this stuff.

But that’s OK, because if my two tiny plants ever produce more leaves than should be safely eaten; there are two other ways to use them. The plant bears a purplish flower that can be used in floral arrangements, and if that isn’t enough to use up any over-abundance of sorrel, it is helpful to note that the juice of sorrel can be used to bleach rust, mould, grass and ink stains from wicker and linen.

            I think that next week, I may tackle the issue of what to do with all those mushrooms growing on our property. Just kidding! If you ever find yourself reading a column written by me about wild mushrooms, run for cover. I know absolutely nothing about them.