Common Sorrel

How to recognise it

Sorrel has tender, arrow-shaped leaves. Their two pointed basal lobes point backwards, down the stalk. The upper leaves clasp the stem. Where each leaf joins the stem, a thin, papery sheath wraps around it. From May the flowering stems carry loose spikes of small reddish flowers. Lords-and-ladies (Arum maculatum) is toxic and its young leaves have a similar shape. But they often carry dark spots and have rounded lobes. They grow in woods and hedges rather than open grassland. Never taste a leaf to check it, because lords-and-ladies burns the mouth.

Where it grows

Look in meadows, pastures, lawns, verges and open woods, from the lowlands into the mountains. It is very common throughout Europe. In the US it is introduced and scattered. You find it mainly in the north-east, around the Great Lakes, in Oregon and in Alaska. There the smaller sheep's sorrel is far more common.

When

Leaves grow from early spring and in mild places almost all year. They are best young. Once the plant flowers, from May, they turn tougher and more bitter. Cut plants send up new ones, though.

Picking

Pick single young leaves from each plant and leave the root. Choose meadows that are not sprayed or fertilised, away from roads and dog paths.

Cooking

Be certain of the identification first. The leaves are sharply sour, like lemon peel. Shred young ones into salads, or cook them briefly into soups, omelettes and sauces for fish and eggs. The sourness comes from oxalic acid. Eat sorrel in moderation and avoid it if you have kidney stones. Cook it in stainless steel or enamel, not aluminium or cast iron.

Keeping

The leaves wilt within two or three days in the fridge. Cooked down to a purée, sorrel freezes well.

Toxic look-alikes

• Arum maculatum · Toxic - do not eat