Soupe aux Poireaux et aux Haricots

This standby of French and Flemish households contains sorrel which is hardly used here either for soups or salads. The kind used by French people is not hedgerow sorrel, which has rather narrow leaves, but the broad-leaved variety called Rumex acetosa. It is easily grown, perennial, and can be obtained in seed form from Thompson & Morgan of Ipswich.