L’ Oseille

Sorrel grows wild in the British Isles just as it does in France but since the time of Henry VIII we seem to have lost the taste for it. The French, on the other hand, use it a great deal both as a potherb and as a vegetable. When salt used to be scarce and costly, wild sorrel was even sometimes used in its place and one kind was known as salt grass. They have now cultivated a fleshier leaved variety and you will find a clump of it in most country gardens. In spring and early summer when there is still plenty of moisture about, you may even find it on sale at market. Although it weighs little, buy a reasonable quantity – say 500 g (1 lb) if you are able. This is necessary since the way the arrow-shaped leaves dissolve to nothing when heated is quite magical. However the resulting purée is quite strong and sharply acidic so that it needs to be softened with a béchamel sauce.