6.10.2011

Cold Sorrel Soup


I love cold soups in the summer, don't you? So refreshing. What could be easier for a picnic? Just pour it into a thermos to keep it chilled and take it along. You can dress cold soups up or down.....it all depends on how you serve them. I posted a wonderful strawberry soup a while back; I've served it at a luncheon, at a casual cook-out and it was even served at an engagement party I attended,  passed around in small glass cups on a silver tray during cocktail hour.  And I've got another cold soup coming your way for the 4th of July. 

But today, it's all about chilled sorrel soup. Is sorrel available in your area? Or perhaps you're growing it in your garden?  If so, you've got to try this lovely soup. Sorrel is a member of the buckwheat family and you'll find it most frequently used in soups and sauces. You can use sorrel in salads too, but I'd stick with the small tender leaves that are less acidic. Cooked in a cream soup like this one, you'll find sorrel tangy with a slight lemony flavor.
 


It's an easy green to clean. Wash to remove grit, fold the leaf in half lengthwise, grab the stem/vein and pull to remove any woody strings. Sorrel practically falls apart and melts when it hits anything hot. Fresh, as you can see, it's a lovely green color. Unfortunately, when cooked it turns a drab green, but its fresh tangy taste survives to make a delicious soup.


I've saved a couple recipes. Gabrielle Hamilton from Prune likes to serve her sorrel soup hot over some diced cooked potatoes rather than puréeing the potatoes along with the sorrel. I think I'd like to try that texture in a sorrel soup and I'd like to try it hot too. But because it's summer, I'm sticking with this recipe which calls for chilling and you can serve it in paper soup cups if you want. 


Cold Sorrel, Leek and Potato Soup

Adapted from HERE
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Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter 
1 medium leek (white and light-green parts only), thinly sliced (about 1 cup) 
Kosher salt 
2 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice (about 2 cups) 
4 cups low-salt chicken broth 
4 oz. sorrel leaves, ribs removed; more for garnish 
1/2 cup heavy cream  
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Melt the butter in a 4-quart pot over medium-low heat. Add the leek and a pinch of salt and cook until tender but not brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and then add 4 cups of chicken stock and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil, cover partially, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Add the sorrel and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Purée the soup in a blender until smooth. Pour the soup into a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 4 hours. Whisk the cream into the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with thinly sliced sorrel leaves and even a dollop of yogurt or sour cream. Makes about 4 cups.

52 comments:

  1. My goal this summer at the farmers' market is to try produce I've never had before. I will be sure to search for sorrel. I'm glad you showed us a picture so I will know what to look for. I'm going to try kohlrabi as well.

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  2. This soup looks delicious and perfect for when it's too hot to turn on the stove

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  3. Barbara I loe soups every time and this is delicious!! gloria

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  4. I love that you are serving this soup cold! Perfect for summer. Have a great weekend!

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  5. Hi Barbara,

    This soup looks delicious and I often make leek and potato soup, have never put sorrel with it and will try it next time.
    We are into hot soups over here and last night made a pot of mushroom soup which was good.

    Happy weekend
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  6. Seriously, I have never tried a cold soup. I always eat the warm one especially when I'm sick, haha. I would definitely try this someday. xx

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  7. You know cold soups are just one of those things I can't wrap my head around. I'm kind of simple that way soup = hot, in my brain at least.

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  8. I'm so happy you posted this recipe. :-) I have lavish amounts of sorrel growing in my garden in Australia but I've never cooked with it! This will be perfect. :-)

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  9. You've piqued my interest. I've never heard of sorrel, I'm embarrassed to say. They certainly don't have it where I shop. I should check the farmer's market. Tangy with a lemony flavor sounds yummy, though!

    Have a beautiful weekend!

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  10. Oh Barbara, you read my mind because I've been thinking about cold soups for summer with sorrel so thanks for this. The only question is whether I can find it here but I'm asking around so fingers crossed. Beautiful soup.

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  11. I really have to start experiencing with sorrel. That is aherb I have never used in my kitchen...

    A delightful soup! It looks so luscious. Wonderful.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  12. Do you know Barbara, chilled soup is something I never have. Maybe it is to do with the climate here in Scotland. I eat hot soup pretty much all year round, but when we have some rar hot weather, I never think of having a chilled soup. This one does look delicious though and I can almost imagine the flavour.

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  13. me too I love cold soups and here as summer is hot they are welcome !!pierre

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  14. Hi Barbara,
    Not sure if we have sorrel here, I'll keep an eye for it next time I'm at the market.
    We are still enjoying chilled lettuce and potato soup, the potager just keeps on giving this year!
    Bon weekend.

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  15. I have yet to try sorrel but this creamy soup would be the perfect way to start.

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  16. I've never been one to whip up a chilled soup. It's high time, I do. Cold Sorrel, Leek and Potato Soup may just be the ticket!

    Thanks for sharing, Barbara. It looks delicious...

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  17. Barbara - we have a lot of sorrel growing at the farm, and I just walked past it this morning thinking, "What do you make with that?" Next weekend, I'm grabbing a bunch so I can try this soup.

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  18. oh this looks perfect for summer!

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  19. The only thing that bothers me about sorrel is that it turns from that wonderful green color to olive. I know this is irrational, but sorrel just feels bright green! Great looking soup and good for you too... just what we need in this weather!

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  20. I dont really know what Sorrel is and i think i will have to look around for the local name!
    The rains have turned our summer into cool days and cooler nights and i love the cold breeze that flows thru our home and has curtains flying all around!
    I think i would love this soup and warmed and it will taste jus as good !
    And i love the idea of the tender leaves too!
    Happy weekend my friend!

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  21. I dont think I have seen sorrel at any of my local stores.
    Shame on them!

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  22. Ooh, this sounds so great! I love chilled soup in the summer, it just seems right.

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  23. I've had a couple of cold soup recipes marked in cookbooks for years and never seem to make them. Soup to me seems so appealing steaming in bowl. I've also never had sorrell... I should give this a try.

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  24. My grandma used to make sorrel soup, I didn't care for it as a youngster but I think I would really love it now, I need to make this, it looks delicious.

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  25. Sounds fabulous! Another recipe to try when the Knight isn't home. I just love cold soups.

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  26. Hi There, This is looking Gorgeous. A very well made post with beautiful pictures. Loved the new combo of ingredients and the recipe is so nicely made and presented. Its always fun to see ur appetizing recipes.Saving this recipe of urs and wud love to give ur version a try on the coming weekend. Have a great day….Sonia !!!

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  27. You know, I don't think I've ever had sorrel...but I can't figure out why it looks so familiar! Your description is really fantastic though and I'd love to give this soup a try!

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  28. I've never had sorrel so can't even imagine how it might taste but I love the idea of a cold soup on a hot day. I'll have to see if I can find it at the farmers' market.

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  29. Last year I saw a sorrel recipe, bought some sorrel and COULD NOT for the life of me remember what the recipe was! This looks delicious, so I will very carefully bookmark it, so I don't lose it this time!

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  30. I have a wish, and it is that someone would make that soup for me today....I got up feeling lazy, or maybe be tired!! I don't want restaurant..I want that soup!

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  31. I'm an equal opportunist soup eater...summer, winter, any time! I've never had sorrel before, though, and I think it's about time I give it a go! This soup looks so tasty!

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  32. this cold sorrel soup looks wonderful always learning from you :_)

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  33. Perfect! I love cold soups in the summer and I just happen to have a patch of sorrel in the garden just waiting to be eaten.
    Mimi

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  34. I dont think I have seen this vegetable here yet. It looks very fresh and delicious. Would make a great stir fry. Love your soup...mmm

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  35. I love soups....cold or hot! This is amazing. Wonderful summer recipe,Barbara!

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  36. I love wild vegetables! And this is such a healthy and delicious treat!

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  37. what a great idea, my grandaughter and i love making potato soups this is a great variation , i'll send it on to her so she can make this week , thanks , Tink

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  38. I've never tried sorrel or cold soup!

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  39. I've never tried sorrel, nor have I ever seen it in the market but it does sound refreshing in this soup. Love the idea of cold soups in the summer.

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  40. I love cold soups too Barbara. Have to admit I've never tried sorrel and like Kim, not sure if I've seen it in our market. I'll definitely keep an eye out. I would love to give this a try.
    sam

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  41. Perfect for these hot nights!

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  42. I've really got to try sorrel! I just made a potato and leek soup (chilled) recently, but the addition of the lemony sorrel sounds perfect! (I used lemon zest.) Thanks for the tip!

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  43. I haven't used sorrel in years. You've convinced me it's time to get with the program and use it again. Your soup sounds especially delicious. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  44. I AM growing a pot of sorrel in my backyard. I've mostly been just tossing it into salads. But I'm definitely trying this soup now. The citrusy flavor of sorrel must be magical in a chilled soup.

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  45. GOOD MORNING BARBARA! What a lovely way for me to start my morning by seeing your sweet comments and then to come here for a bowl of yummy soup! AND STRAWBERRY SOUP? I have never had fruit soups, but I suppose they are just perfect for the warm days ahead. Well, I am officially done with school, but this week I have some workshops to attend, so I cannot get my dream vacation to READ and WRITE voraciously until next week...I HOPE! Have a wonderful day my friend and thank you for your visits, Anita

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  46. We're so into warm soups at the moment being in Winter but this does look delicious! :D And I love the sound of that strawberry soup too!

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  47. Saw this and HAD To send u d link :-)
    When i see anything lemony i think of u and ur wonderful family of bakers :-)
    http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/2011/06/gingerbread-for-summer.html

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  48. What an educational post Barbara. I've never tasted sorrel before but I'm aiming to grow some when the weather warms up, then I'll make soup :)

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  49. Lovely. that sweet-sour tang of sorrel is special--we have some growing "wild" in the yard--it comes back every year. fun to tuck a bit of it into a soup or sauce!

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  50. it seems like most chilled soups i encounter are either fruity or gazpacho, so i'm excited by this!

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  51. Katie has been trying to "pawn" off bunches of sorrel my way since last week. I should just give in and take it.

    We sure could use a nice refreshing cool soup these days. Simplicity at its best...

    Thank you so much for sharing, Barbara...

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  52. Hope I can find some sorrel leavesl this soup is a must!

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