Craig Claibornes Sorrel Soup Recipes

COLD SORREL SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter over moderate heat in a medium stockpot or Dutch oven. Cook onion with salt and pepper until soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in sorrel and cook over moderate heat, uncovered, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally so the sorrel is evenly cooked.
• Add half and half, water, and Tabasco pepper sauce. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Puree in a blender until smooth and strain through a medium sieve. Stir in lemon juice, adjust with salt and pepper, and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours, or, to serve immediately, chill in bowl rested in another bowl of iced water. Serve cold.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SORREL SOUP

Steps:

• Pick over the sorrel. Remove and discard any tough stems and blemished leaves. Rinse and pat dry. Pack the leaves closely and cut them crosswise into thin strips. Set aside.
• Heat the butter in a saucepan and add the leeks. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Do not brown.
• Add the potatoes to the saucepan and pour in the broth. Bring to the boil and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
• Strain the broth. Transfer the solids to the container of a food processor. Add about one cup of the cooking liquid and blend thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and add the remaining liquid. Chill thoroughly.
• Add the sorrel to the chilled soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cream and refrigerate until ready to use.

SORREL AND BUTTERMILK SOUP

Steps:

• Pick over the sorrel. Discard any tough stems and blemished leaves. Rinse the leaves and pat them dry. Pack the leaves closely and cut them crosswise into very thin strips. This is called a chiffonade There should be about two cups or slightly more when loosely packed.
• Bring the broth to the boil and remove it from the heat. Set aside. Do not let the broth cool for an extended period.
• Put the yolks in a saucepan and add the cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Beat briskly with a wire whisk and pour in the hot broth, beating constantly.
• Place the saucepan on the stove and heat briefly, stirring with a wooden spoon. Bring the mixture barely to the simmer and remove immediately from the heat. Do not let the mixture boil or it will curdle. Immediately pour the mixture into a mixing bowl to prevent further cooking from retained heat.
• Pour in the buttermilk and stir. Let cool. Chill thoroughly. Add the sorrel. Pour the soup into the container of a food processor or electric blender and blend. Serve.

BABA'S BEST SORREL SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add sorrel in batches, stirring well until wilted, 5 to 8 minutes in all.
• Pour chicken stock and water into the Dutch oven. Stir in potatoes, carrot, parsley, dill, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer soup until flavors combine, about 1 hour.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until mostly smooth before serving.

CHICKEN WITH SORREL SAUCE

Steps:

• Pick over the sorrel. Discard any tough stems and blemished leaves. Rinse the leaves and pat them dry. Pack the leaves closely and cut them crosswise into very thin strips. This is called a chiffonade There should be about two cups or slightly more when loosely packed.
• Pat the chicken breast halves lightly with a flat mallet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Prepare the mushrooms and set them aside.
• Heat one tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan and add the shallots. Cook briefly, stirring, and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms give up their liquid and the liquid evaporates. Add the sorrel and cook, stirring, until the sorrel wilts. Add the cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook about two minutes. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining two tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet and add the chicken breast pieces. Cook, turning the pieces occasionally, until cooked through, about six to eight minutes.
• Pour the sorrel sauce into a heat- proof dish and bring to the boil, stirring. Arrange the chicken pieces on top. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.