What is Buckler Sorrel?

Buckler Sorrel, also known as French Sorrel, has all the best qualities of its mature plant, but is much smaller, more compact and has distinct leaves that are shaped like a shield, making it a much more attractive leave when used as a garnish.  It’s indigenous to Europe and Western Asia where it grows wild and is also now grown in North America. Using Buckler Sorrel when it is small enough means it will provide much more flavour than an older leaf would.

Buckler Sorrel has been used throughout history for its cooling and blood-cleansing benefits. It is claimed to help with the effect of fevers, jaundice and stomach ulcers.

What does Buckler Sorrel taste like?

Buckler Sorrel is very refreshing and tangy to sharp, sour and bitter. It’s flavour can be quite acidic which is responsible for its tart taste, so it is best used sparingly or used in combination with sweet flavoured foods. It has the same lemony and vibrant taste as it’s mature plant, but is less sour and has a softer texture, so it works fantastically well as a salad ingredient or as a herb to flavour an array of creative dishes.

Sorrel was used by the ancient Egyptians and it’s name stems from the old French word ‘surele’ which means ‘sour’. It’s a fantastic and unique edible leaf for a number of dishes and your guests will wonder what the mystery ingredient is that gives your food such an innovative tang.

When is Buckler Sorrel in season?

Buckler Sorrel is available all year round at Nurtured in Norfolk. We nurture and supply the highest quality edible leaves to all of our customers, top chefs and restaurants.

If you decide that Buckler Sorrel is a plant you would like to grow, once the sorrel plants are established and growing contently, they don’t need much more further attention than weeding and watering through the dry seasons. Also, if you’re more impatient when it comes to gardening, Buckler Sorrel is great, as it is a more quick growing plant.

Not only does Buckler Sorrel produce a quirky shaped leaf, but come early summer time, they will also begin to flower.

How would chefs use Buckler Sorrel?

Sorrel leaves have a great lemony tang and makes a great addition in salads, omelettes, creamy sauces and with fish dishes, either used whole or shredded. Sorrel is known to wilt fairly quickly when exposed to steam, in a similar way to spinach, and therefore is best added at the end of cooking.

It is perfectly paired with chicken, cucumber, eggs, salmon, leeks, lentils, pork, spinach, tomatoes and a variety of different herbs including; chervil, chives, dill, lovage, parsley and tarragon.

What is the nutritional value of Buckler Sorrel?

Buckler Sorrel is fully packed with a significant amount of fibre, minerals, organic compounds and carries a very low calorie count (100g of raw leaves offers just 22 calories!), almost no fat, and a reasonable amount of protein. Along with adding an original flavour to your imaginative dishes, sorrel is also extremely rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, iron, magnesium, potassium and last of all calcium.

This leafy vegetable has an incredible amount of nutritional values but there is also a handful of health benefits in sorrel that make it such an important addition to your everyday lifestyle, such as, treating skin conditions, boosting immunity, increasing circulation and energy levels, improving kidney health and many more.

The high content of dietary fibre provides an improvement in your digestive health simply by adding Buckler Sorrel to salads or soups.

The amount of potassium in Sorrel is a very important mineral for human health, and reduces stress, therefore lowering blood pressure and keeping it regulated.

There is enough evidence that this leaf contains numerous compounds including; polyphenolic, flavonoids, and anthocyanin, all of which are antioxidants in the body. The antioxidants in sorrel have a wide range of effects on the human body, but its known that cancer prevention is their most high-profile benefit.

Vitamin A, is a very essential vitamin found in Buckler sorrel and has a very close connection with the improvement in eyesight and prevent age-related degradation.

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References: organicfacts.net | seedaholic.com | theherbpatch.co.uk | nutritionandyou.com | telegraph.co.uk | bbc.com | HappyDIYHome | themoderngower.com