Blood Sorrel
By: Alisa Escanlar

About

Blood sorrel is a wild sorrel found in many parts of Europe and is valued for its pointed and bright lime-green leaves with dark red veins.

Information
Other names: Bloody Wood Dock, Red Veined Dock
Translations: Asins Skābeņu, Kraujo Rūgštynė, Sânge Măcriş, Blood Kiseljak, Máu cây me chua, Krwi szczawiowa, Bloed Sorrel, रक्त प्रकार की वनस्पति, Кровь Сорель, Αίμα Sorrel, الدم الحميض, 블러드 밤색, Krevní Sorrel, Darah Sorrel, Dugo kastanyo, 血液索雷尔, Sang Sorrel, Blood kislica, Krvné sorrel, Sangue Sorrel, דם חומעה, Blod Ängssyra, Крв Кисељак, 血液ソレル, Sangre Sorrel, Кров Сорель, Blood Niittysuolaheinä, Кръв киселец


Physical Description
New, colourful salad leaf innovation to add a sharp but pleasant taste and texture to mixed salads, when eaten young. Short green pedals with dark red viens that is a hardy perennial that is grown annual.
Colors: bright green, dark red


Tasting Notes
Flavors: fresh, lettuce
Mouthfeel: Crisp, Tender
Food complements: Salads, Soups
Wine complements: White, Red
Beverage complements: Lemon/limeade
Substitutes: Red sorrel


Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: march, april, may, june
Peak: april, may
Choosing: When choosing blood sorrel be sure to look for freshness and bright green leaves with dark red veins and no bruising visible.
Buying: Blood sorrel can be purchased online when in season.
Procuring: For salad leaves sow seeds March-May outdoors. Sow seeds thinly 13mm (½in) deep in drills 30cm (12in) apart in soil that has been raked to a fine tilth. Thin plants to 7.5cm (3in) apart once big enough to handle. Thin once more allowing up to 25cm (10in) spacing for full size plants.
Aftercare


Preparation and Use
Blood sorrel when very young is great in salads and has a lettuce taste to it, older blood sorrel is used in making great soups or melted in butter to make sauce for fish. Adds zest to lettuce, corn salad and purslane in a mixed salad.
Cleaning: You can rinse thoroughly with cool running water prior to preparation and use. 


Conserving and Storing
Store in air tight container in cool temperatures in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.