Sorrel is a green leaf vegetable native to Europe. It is also called common sorrel or spinach dock, and is actually considered less a vegetable and more an herb in some cultures. In appearance sorrel greatly resembles spinach and in taste sorrel can range from comparable to the kiwifruit in young leaves, to a more acidic tasting older leaf. As sorrel ages it tends to grow more acidic due to the presence of oxalic acid, which actually gets stronger and tastes more prominent.

Young sorrel may be harvested to use in salads, soups or stews. If you are planning on using sorrel in salads, it’s a good idea to stick with small tender leaves that have the fruitier and less acidic taste. Young sorrel leaves are also excellent when lightly cooked, similar to the taste of cooked chard or spinach. For soups and stews, older sorrel can be used because it adds tang and flavor to the dish.

Throughout the Caribbean you can find deep red sorrel, which is not a close relative to European sorrel. Unlike European sorrel, it is an annual plant instead of a perennial. It does have a similar acidic taste and is favored in drinks, jellies, and sometimes in tarts.

Sorrel may be a little challenging to find in your local grocery store, and shipping it may also be problematic. It will only keep for about three days in the refrigerator. The best place to look for sorrel is in specialty food stores, where it may be available fresh, or in pureed or canned varieties. For sorrel fans, fresh sorrel is most preferable, though the pureed version may add a nice flavor to creamy soups.

It can be challenging to grow sorrel in an organic fashion, often the preferred method with natural food stores, because numerous pests enjoy sorrel. Several species of moth larvae enjoy snacking on sorrel, and if you happen to live near hare, deer, or rabbit populations, you may also find that your sorrel supply diminishes as quickly as it grows.

From a nutritional standpoint, sorrel can be an excellent food for many. It has high levels of vitamins A and C. It also has moderate levels of potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Because of the oxalic acid in sorrel, it is not good for everyone. Oxalic acid may aggravate the conditions of people with rheumatism, kidney or bladder stones. If you love sorrel when you first try it, learn to love it in small doses in the beginning. It has natural laxative properties that make consuming too much sorrel a trial for the tummy.