The image, above, shows the full Sheep's Sorrel plant (Rumexacetosella), in its springtime form, bottom left and centre.
Also shown is the plant in flower, top left and close-ups of the
seed heads, top right. The bottom right image shows close-ups of
two of the plant's distinctive, arrow-like, leaves..
| Common Name: Sheep's Sorrel |
| Scientific Name: Rumex acetosella |
| Other Names: red sorrel, sour weed, and field sorrel |
| Family: Polygonaceae |
| Range: Cetral and southeastern Europe, including Britain, as far north as Scandanavia and Iceland. |
Physical Characteristics
Rumex acetosella is a hardy Perennial plant, growing to 30cm (1 ft) by 1m (3 ft 3 in) in size. It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. The plant flowers from May to August and seeds ripen from July to September. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are male or female and only a single sex is found on any given plant) and are wind pollinated. The plant is a noted wildlife attractant.
|
| Edible Parts: Leaves, Root, Seeds |
 Edibility Rating: 4 
|
 Known Hazards: Like many members of the Polygonaceae (including true rhubarb), Sheep's Sorrel plants can contain high levels of oxalic acid (which is what gives the plant its acidic, lemony, flavour. It is fine to consume in small quantities, but should not be eaten in large amounts or at regular intervals as oxalic acid can make food nutrients, particularly calcium, unavailable to the human digestion, leading to mineral deficiencies. However, the oxalic acid levels are decreased if the plant is cooked before consuming. People with a tendency to gout, rheumatism, arthropathies, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take particular care if introducing this plant into their diet, as it could aggravate their condition.
|
Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Sheep's Sorrel along with all the Sheep's Sorrel containing recipes presented on this site, with 7 recipes in total.
These recipes, all contain Sheep's Sorrel as a major wild food ingredient.
Sheep's Sorrel, Rumex acetosella, (also known as red sorrel, sour weed, and field sorrel) is a common perennial weed and a member of the Polygonaceae (knotweed) family.
These plants are seldom more than 30 centimetres tall and have alternate spear-shaped leaves, often with arrow-like bases, very small flowers, and frequently reddish stems.
In many ways these are plants of scrubland that can be found in old fields and other undisturbed areas (they often grow in old cracks in concrete) in Europe and North America.
The leaves and stems of the plants are edible and can be consumed both raw or cooked. However, like all the sorrel family the plant is high in oxalic acid which is mildly toxic and interferes with digestion. As a result it is suggested that not too many leaves are consumed at one sitting. However, cooking the plant by blanching in hot water leaches out the chemical and renders it safe for consumption.
The leaves have a delicious lemony flavour, due to the oxalic acid in them. They are somewhat strong if used in any quantity and are best added as a flavouring. The leaves can also be added to soups as thickeners. They can also be dried for later use.
The root, once cooked, can be dried and ground into powder. This flour can be made into noodles or it can be added to wheat flour as an adulterant. The seed is edible both raw and cooked and is easy to harvest.
An infusion made by boiling the leaves in water yields a green-coloured drink with a flavour similar to lemonade. This liquid can also be boiled down with sugar to form a lemon-flavoured syrup that can be added to desserts or used in the preparation of cocktails.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1999
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–12.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants, 2004
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland, 2011
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) — How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland, 2006
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 1983
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles, 1987
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms, 2006
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms, 2011
[12]. Bunker, F. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland, Second Edition, 2017
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia II — A Source Book of Edible Plants, 1998
[14]. Hartford, R. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland: A Foraging and Photographic Identification Guide
(Note that the above book links are Amazon Affiliate links)
These recipes, all contain Sheep's Sorrel as a major wild food ingredient.
Sheep's Sorrel, Rumex acetosella, (also known as red sorrel, sour weed, and field sorrel) is a common perennial weed and a member of the Polygonaceae (knotweed) family.
These plants are seldom more than 30 centimetres tall and have alternate spear-shaped leaves, often with arrow-like bases, very small flowers, and frequently reddish stems.
In many ways these are plants of scrubland that can be found in old fields and other undisturbed areas (they often grow in old cracks in concrete) in Europe and North America.
The leaves and stems of the plants are edible and can be consumed both raw or cooked. However, like all the sorrel family the plant is high in oxalic acid which is mildly toxic and interferes with digestion. As a result it is suggested that not too many leaves are consumed at one sitting. However, cooking the plant by blanching in hot water leaches out the chemical and renders it safe for consumption.
The leaves have a delicious lemony flavour, due to the oxalic acid in them. They are somewhat strong if used in any quantity and are best added as a flavouring. The leaves can also be added to soups as thickeners. They can also be dried for later use.
The root, once cooked, can be dried and ground into powder. This flour can be made into noodles or it can be added to wheat flour as an adulterant. The seed is edible both raw and cooked and is easy to harvest.
An infusion made by boiling the leaves in water yields a green-coloured drink with a flavour similar to lemonade. This liquid can also be boiled down with sugar to form a lemon-flavoured syrup that can be added to desserts or used in the preparation of cocktails.
References:
[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1999
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–12.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants, 2004
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland, 2011
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) — How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland, 2006
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 1983
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles, 1987
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms, 2006
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms, 2011
[12]. Bunker, F. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland, Second Edition, 2017
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia II — A Source Book of Edible Plants, 1998
[14]. Hartford, R. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland: A Foraging and Photographic Identification Guide
(Note that the above book links are Amazon Affiliate links)
The alphabetical list of all Sheep's Sorrel recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 7 recipes in total:
Page 1 of 1
| Hedgerow Salad Origin: Ancient | Sorrel Meringue Pie Origin: Britain | Wild Herb Casserole Origin: Britain |
| Nettle, Sorrel and Lentil Pâté Origin: Britain | Sorrel Pesto Origin: Italy | |
| Risotto All Accetostella (Risotto with Sorrel) Origin: Italy | Sorrel Tartlets Origin: Britain |
Page 1 of 1