2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The sorrel is a perennial plant with a fleshy spindle-shaped root. It is of the genus Rumex, and its Latin name is Rumex acetosa. The sorrel is a family of Lapadovi and grows in abundance in the meadows in most of Europe and grown as a leafy vegetable. In Europe, Asia, America and Africa, other, mostly wild forms are used as sorrel. Varieties of sorrel differ mainly in leaf color.
The leaves are oblong, the lower ones are 7-15 cm long, somewhat arrow-shaped at the base, with very long stalks. The upper leaves are without stalks and are often dark red. The ordinary sorrel has lanceolate dark green leaves and petioles, while Lyon sorrel has large, fleshy, dark green, broadly ovate leaves. Mayoop sorrel has large green leaves. The local sorrel has lanceolate light green leaves, which often have a reddish pigment under the influence of low spring and autumn temperatures.
The sorrel is transferred in Europe from Asia. It is grown in all countries of Europe and North America, there are many varieties selected. It is one of the earliest spring vegetables. Fresh leaves are used for salads, soups, purees, side dishes and as a spice for canned vegetables.
Even Zahari Stoyanov writes about sorrel as a blessed food. He describes how the native freedom fighters gathered in the mountain forests. It is mentioned in the same context in other literature sources.
Composition of sorrel
Sorrel is quite rich in vitamins (C, B1, B2, PP, carotene), protein, mineral salts of potassium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, malic, citric and succinic acids. The plant contains oxalic acid, which contributes to its characteristic taste. In 100 g of sorrel there are only 21 kcal.
Selection and storage of sorrel
Choose fresh sorrel, which has a nice green color, without stains or signs of spoilage. You can store sorrel, as well as spinach and dock, frozen. In this case, wash the vegetables well, dry them and then cut them, arrange them in plastic bags or buckets and store them cold in the freezer.
Another way to keep the sorrel fresh for a long time is by canning it. To do this, boil water, blanch the green leafy vegetables inside for 2-3 minutes and drain well. Once it cools, arrange it in jars, screw the caps well and sterilize it.
Culinary use of sorrel
Sorrel is a green leafy vegetable, which does not tolerate particularly long heat treatment - a few minutes of stewing with a little olive oil or butter are enough. To get the most out of its aroma, roll the leaves into a tight roll, then cut them thinly with a sharp knife.
The leaves of sorrel have a pleasant sour-bitter taste. If you cut them into smaller pieces, you can add sorrel to salads, soups and herbal sauces. The leaves are added to salads to enhance the taste. They are often pureed in soups and sauces and are the main ingredient in sorrel. Dishes with spinach and potato soup after the addition of sorrel acquires a pleasant sour taste.
It is often a pretty good addition to sandwiches, and lamb, prepared with sorrel can fascinate you. Due to its slightly sour taste, it is said to quench thirst and is considered useful for increasing appetite.
The sorrel is prepared like spinach. It can be added to spinach, chopped - to season lettuce, to be added to potato soup, etc. Quite popular is sorrel soup, which is a classic in many European cuisines. Apart from being a seasoning for soups and stews, it was also used to prepare a special sauce for seasoning meat and fish, which is still available in good restaurants and serves fine cuisine. Sour cream sauce with cream is a traditional addition to hard-boiled eggs and river fish.
C sorrel you can prepare numerous delicious recipes such as sorrel pie, fried sorrel, sorrel porridge, sorrel with rice, lamb with sorrel and many others.
Here's how to make a delicious sorrel soup (cold)
Necessary products: yogurt - 500 ml; oil - 50 g; sorrel - 1 connection; dock - 2 ties, maybe spinach; garlic - 3 stalks fresh; dill - 2-3 stalks; walnuts - about 100 g crushed; salt; pepper
Preparation: Pre-wash the green leafy vegetables and put them in a saucepan with boiling water to simmer for about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sorrel and dock and allow to drain. Heat the butter in a pan and fry the finely chopped garlic, setting aside part of the green part.
After a while add the chopped sorrel, fry briefly, stirring and remove from the pan to cool. Beat the yogurt well with a little water to make a thick yaran. Mix the yoghurt with the sorrel and the finely chopped fresh garlic. Season with spices and serve the sorrel soup with crushed walnuts.
Among other suggestions for recipes with sorrel are scrambled eggs with sorrel in lavash, colorful beans with mushrooms and sorrel, butter pie with dock and sorrel, spring soup with sorrel and mushrooms, spring dish with sorrel and quinoa and many other delicacies.
Health benefits of sorrel
The sorrel, along with its relatives spinach, dock, burdock, can provide quite healthy benefits to our body. Sorrel has a homeopathic, anti-inflammatory effect, improves appetite. From sorrel leaves Tea is made to help with liver and kidney problems.
In ancient times it was believed that it improves digestion and serves as a good antiscorbutic agent. In Bulgarian folk medicine, the decoction of the leaves of sorrel was taken for stomach disorders and as a cholagogue for jaundice and other liver diseases. The leaves are used in food in cooked and raw form (salads). Can be canned.
The sorrel is extremely rich in potassium, which makes it an excellent food for the health of the cardiovascular system, relaxes blood vessels and prevents the development of high blood pressure.
Vitamin A in green leafy vegetables is important for eye health, and high levels of iron help against anemia and lack of energy.
The huge content of vitamin C helps the overall health of the immune system. Vitamin C is known to increase the number of white blood cells and even has analgesic properties, but if consumed in large quantities.
The sorrel has good diuretic effect, stimulates the excretion of urine and thus improves kidney health.
All women who suffer from hair problems should include sorrel in their menu. It is extremely suitable for the treatment of dry and exhausted hair. Strengthens hair follicles, which makes it valuable in the treatment of hair loss.
Last but not least, sorrel helps us lose weight. It contains almost no calories, and at the same time is rich in valuable vitamins and minerals. Ideal food for the spring months, when we want to lose weight in the winter and cleanse our body.
Harm from sorrel
Sorrel contains a very large amount of oxalic acid, which in greater quantities deprives our body of calcium. Oxalic acid can cause joint and kidney pain, and in children it can stop growth.
This automatically makes sorrel contraindicated for consumption by people with rheumatoid complaints, kidney or bladder stones and more. similar. Sorrel is also a laxative. If you are prone to the disorder, it is best to be careful with the consumption of sorrel, as the stomach can be further irritated.
Sorrel is not recommended for disorders of salt metabolism, inflammation of the intestines and tuberculosis.
It should not be consumed by people who suffer from kidney stones, rheumatism or arthritis, so it is not recommended for the elderly.
