Green De Belleville Sorrel

Description

(Rumex acetosa) Sorrel is appreciated in native cuisines throughout Europe and in many parts of Asia and Africa as well. A perennial, fast growing herb with pale green leaves up to 8cm long, it is available in early spring, before many annual crops have even been sown.

Widely referred to as a ‘herb-vegetable’ or ‘pot-herb’ as it can be cooked like a vegetable, while it has a distinctive lemony flavour like an herb. It can be harvested at baby leaf stage and is a great lettuce substitute in salads and sandwiches as it doesn't go limp. It is most delicious when cooked, the flavour is delightfully acidic. It is a fantastic partner to fish, veal, eggs and potatoes in soup or gratin.

Sorrel was gathered from the wild until the late 1600s, when French gardeners decided to bring it under cultivation to improve the flavour and texture of the leaves. The oldest cultivated sorrel still extant is ‘Belleville,’ domesticated in France during the 1730's.

Green De Belleville is a small, productive French cultivar with pale-green leaves up to 8cm long. It is a hardy, fast growing cultivar and well-proven to be productive under almost any conditions. Its powerful lemony flavour can be tamed easily by blending it with other milder ingredients.

Very easy to grow, this hardy perennial pot herb can even withstand freezing winters. Once established, it can be treated as a 'cut-and-come-again' crop. The plant should produce greens for 8 to 10 years. Sorrel is one of the earliest green crops and embarrassingly easy to grow, once you've got a clump going it needs no attention other than when you want to eat it.

Sorrel prefers a sunny (or partially-shaded) spot with a reasonably-fertile and moisture-retentive soil, but thrives even in heavy soil. It may need partial shade in very hot areas. If you don't have space in the garden, a large pot filled with good quality compost will make a great home for your plants. Just remember that pot-grown plants will need more watering and feeding than those in the ground. May also be cultivated indoors for use during the winter months.

Sow in Spring or in Autumn to overwinter. Seeds can be sown at any time of year but are best sown in spring once the temperature warms a little. A week before sowing the seeds outdoors, fork and rake over the ground several times to establish a soil surface with a fine and level tilth free of all weeds and large stones - and scatter a general organic fertiliser over the site.

The tiny seeds are best sown in 5mm deep seed rows 45cm apart. Lightly water, sow the seeds thinly and cover lightly with soil. Once the seedlings have germinated and they are large enough to handle, thin them to 7.5cm apart. A few weeks later, thin the remaining seedlings again to 30cm apart.

If your plants start to form flowering shoots the leaves will become tougher and have less flavour, so cut off flowering stems as they appear. On the other hand, if you decide that sorrel is a plant you would like more of, simply allow it to flower and set seed.

Sorrel plants should be divided every three years or so to keep them growing vigorously. Dig the plant up in spring or autumn, gently pull it into smaller pieces, each with roots attached and replant in fresh soil. Water the new plants well, and keep the soil around them damp in the following weeks.

Leaves can be harvested any time after the first couple of months of spring growth, but they tend to be almost tasteless early on, gradually gaining their characteristic and desired acidity and flavour as the season wears on. The tender, young basal leaves are the best ones to pick for culinary purposes as they are less bitter than the course, older foliage. To guarantee a constant supply of young leaves, lightly harvest the plants on a regular basis throughout the main growing season. For the best flavour, use them on the same day, although they can be frozen. In the kitchen, break the stems off backwards before using. This will draw out any tough string that continues up the middle of the leaf.

Seeds/Packet: (min. 50 Seeds)