Sorrel Soup

What better way to celebrate spring and the coming of beautiful weather than by eating a bowl of bright green sorrel soup. Sorrel is a green a lot like spinach but with a noticeable sourness. You might have seen a similar soup in jars in the Jewish section of the ethnic aisle in your grocery store. It's known as Schav Borscht and is commonly eaten at Passover, but it can also be enjoyed during the spring time when sorrel is readily available at markets. Enjoy this soup as a tart and refreshing entrée into warm spring months ahead.

Sorrel is also very easy to grow and I know from experience. This sorrel is straight from my mother's little patch. Pick sorrel while the leaves are young and tender. Not just for soup, sorrel is an excellent green to include in mixed salads. Make sure to wash the green leaves thoroughly in many changes of water. Drain and dry with a salad spinner. The greens can be kept for a few days until ready to use.

This recipe is very close to my mother's. She usually starts hers with a roux, which I leave out. I like to purée mine to achieve uniform texture. The addition of the beaten eggs is traditional. It adds to the soup by enriching the texture even more. Enjoy the soup either hot or cold, but I think it's best straight from the refirgerator with a dollop of sour cream and freshly ground black pepper.

Sorrel Soup

1 pound sorrel leaves, washed and trimmed of stems
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons sugar
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten

Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add shallots and cook on medium-high heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sorrel a little at a time, tossing; cook until leaves have wilted, about 10 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil, and simmer about 15 minutes.

Using a hand-held blender, purée the soup. Add sugar and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and add beaten eggs. Whisk vigorously until eggs have dispersed. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve hot or cold with a garnish of sour cream. Yield: 6 servings.