Sorrel and Strawberry Salad with Pistachio Dressing

Tags

dressing, gluten free, pistachio, salad, sorrel, strawberry, vegetarian

Sorrel is an freshly tart little green perfect for spring. I love it with strawberries especially. Whatever salad you make with your sorrel, be sure not to overwhelm it with toppings. The flavor is to be enjoyed not ignored like boring iceburg.

Sorrel and Strawberry Salad with Pistachio Dressing

• 1 to 2 cups sorrel leaves
• 6 strawberries, washed and sliced
• 1/8 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachio nuts, plus more for garnish
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
• About 1/4 cup hot water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• Splash good extra-virgin olive oil, for dressing

Purée the dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth. Place greens, strawberries, and feta on a plate. Top with pistachio dressing. Enjoy!!

Poached Salmon with Sorrel Cream Sauce

Tags

cream sauce, fish, food, gluten free, poached, salmon, sorrel

This is such a simple recipe. A good weeknight meal because it only takes 15 minutes from start to finish. Pair it with some steamed vegetables or a potato dish and BAM! dinner is on the table. When you tell people you had poached salmon with sorrel cream sauce, it sounds like you have spent hours in the kitchen and hosted a fancy dinner party.

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Poached Salmon (from Simply Recipes)

• 1 to 1½ pounds salmon fillets
• ½ cup dry white wine (a good Sauvignon Blanc)
• ½ cup water
• A few thin slices of yellow onion
• Several sprigs of fresh dill and parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper

Put wine, water, dill, parsley and onions in a saute pan, and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Place salmon fillets, skin-side down on the pan. Cover. Cook 5 minutes or to desired done-ness. Do not overcook. Serve sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper. Serves 2-4.

Sorrel Cream Sauce (from NPR)

• 3 cups sorrel, cut into thin strips
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Pinch of cayenne, nutmeg (optional)

Wash sorrel and remove stems and any woody ribs. Roll leaves into cigar shape and thinly slice.

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add sorrel and cook, stirring, over medium heat until it melts into a puree — 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the cream. Simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes while adding seasonings. Sauce should thicken. The sauce can be used immediately or chilled to use with cold fish or vegetables.

Sorrel Pesto

Tags

food, gluten free, pasta, pesto, sauce, sorrel, vegetarian

Thanks to my friend Katherine from Quantum Darkness for giving me this sorrel. I had never tried sorrel before. It is very similar to the plant my sister and I used to called “sour pickles”, the edible fruit of the yellow wood sorrel. Which makes sense because it is in the same family. My grandfather used to tell us not to eat them because you never could tell if a dog peed on them or not…  I guess we didn’t ingest too many toxins because here I am today. 🙂

I used to sorrel to make this gorgeous pesto. The tartness of the sorrel adds a brightness to the pesto similar to adding lemon to a typical pesto. I am excited for the next growing season so I can plant my own.

Sorrel Pesto

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh sorrel, ribs removed
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil

In a food processor or blender, puree the sorrel, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts and oil.

Transfer the pesto to a jar with a tight fitting lid and chill it, covered. The pesto keeps this way for 2 weeks.

Makes about 1 cup.