The sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is basically non-toxic and, with a little practice and caution, should not usually be confused with poisonous plants. Nevertheless, there are a few things to keep in mind when harvesting and eating the leaves.

Correctly recognize the sorrel

The sorrel grows out of the ground in a rosette shape and develops elongated, lanceolate leaves with a central division. The easiest way to recognize the sorrel is when it is in bloom, when long panicles with the inconspicuous, reddish flowers form up to one meter above the ground. However, you should harvest the green leaves earlier in spring if possible, as the leaves turn red from the top in summer and are then no longer so easy on the stomach.

Cultivate the sorrel in a targeted manner and harvest high yields

If you want to plant the sorrel in your own garden, you should sow it in as full sun as possible to a maximum of semi-shade. For a high yield, the soil should be evenly moist, deep and as nutrient-rich as possible. In addition, you can harvest the leaves several times from spring to June, since the sorrel reproduces new leaves relatively quickly when the leaves are partially harvested. Removing the inflorescences as early as possible ensures that all of the plant's energy can be put into leaf growth.

Use the sorrel in the kitchen

Always harvest the sorrel as fresh as possible from the garden according to your current needs, so you can enjoy the maximum taste of this fine wild vegetable. You can prepare it in a similar way as you would with home-grown spinach. Popular kitchen recipes with freshly harvested sorrel are:

  • sorrel soup
  • Omelettes and sauces with bits of sorrel
  • as a spicy salad with dressing
  • as part of the Frankfurt green sauce

If you do not get the sorrel from your own garden, you should use plants that are as unpolluted as possible from unsprayed meadows and away from dog walking paths when collecting them in nature.

tips and tricks

Sorrel can be used as a natural remedy for stomach problems. Although it contains a lot of iron itself, it should not be consumed if there is an iron deficiency, since the oxalic acid it contains inhibits the absorption of iron in the human body.

WK

Category:

Herbs