The traditions of eating sorrel for food have been many thousands of years. In his works this plant was mentioned by ancient Roman writers like Virgil and Pliny the Elder. It is distributed in all parts of the world, growing in Europe, Asia, South and North America and even in Australia. In the Roman Empire it was believed that the plant has medicinal properties, and in ancient Russia it was used as a remedy against heat and protected the house from various evil spirits.
Ways of harvesting sorrel for the winter:
- Cold preservation method
- Drying of sorrel
- Sorrel in oil
- Freezing sorrel
- Salting
Important subtleties of workpiece
In the daily ration of sorrel was introduced by French peasants in the 11th century, as it is very unpretentious when growing,and is combined with almost all products. Then the plant was used in the treatment of tuberculosis, rheumatism and with its help tried to purify the body of toxins. In Russia sorrel is very fond of adding to summer soups, botvigny and soup.
The most useful sorrel in the spring period, because it then contains the greatest amount of vitamins and minerals. The plant perfectly replenishes the body's reserves, weakened by winter avitaminosis. Due to the positive effect on the liver and gall bladder, it is often added to medicines in the processed form. Doctors recommend taking a warm bath with sorrel leaves for patients suffering from cystitis, and from the bleeding gums will help decoction of a fresh plant, because all its species have strong blood-coagulating and anti-inflammatory properties.
In sorrel contains a large number of vitamins B and C, carotene, iron, potassium, malic and citric acids. They help the correct operation of the pancreas, digestive and circulatory systems. But the plant has contraindications. For example, it is not recommended for use to people suffering from gout, kidney disease, ulcers of the meadow and gastritis.
Certainly, the most useful is sorrel, grown by own hands on a garden site. But what to do in winter, when fresh vegetables and fruits are almost inaccessible? There are several ways of harvesting sorrel for the winter, and almost all of them allow to preserve the useful properties of the plant and the acids and minerals contained in it.
Cold method of preservation
This type of seaming can save the greatest amount of sorrel, and he has practically no drawbacks. Is that, if the banks are stored in a very warm kitchen - then the result may deteriorate.
Preparation:
- Wash cans and lids thoroughly( sterilization is not necessary).
- Sorrel wash it and pat dry with paper napkins.
- Remove the thick parts of the stems and cut the greens to your liking.
- Put the sorrel in a container as tightly as possible, fill it with cold water and as soon as possible can mign.
- Store at cool temperature.
Drying sorrel
An excellent way in which sorrel keeps its maximum of enzymes, but it is a little time-consuming and requires sunny weather.
Preparation:
- Sorrel should be washed and soaked with paper napkins.
- Remove the thick parts of the stems and mediumly chop the greens.
- Place the crushed sorrel on a baking sheet, covered with parchment, or napkins, in a thin layer.
- Dry greens in the oven on low heat or on a sunny, well-ventilated place.
- The best dried sorrel is stored in paper or fabric bags, glass containers with lids in a dark, cool place.
Sorrel in oil
This method retains most of the vitamins and minerals. But the harvest is quite high-calorie and does not fit people who adhere to the principles of low-fat nutrition.
Sorrel with butter
Preparation:
- Sorrel should be washed and soaked with paper napkins.
- Remove the thick parts of the stems and chop the greens.
- Spread the sorrel in ice molds and pour over melted butter.
- Forms put into the freezer and hold there until used.
Sorrel with olive oil
Preparation:
- Sorrel wash it and then wait for the runoff of excess moisture.
- Grind the leaves with a blender or cut it very finely with a knife.
- Put the resulting mass in a jar and fill it with olive oil. Stir thoroughly.
- Store in a cooler in the coolest place.
Freezing of sorrel
There is a dry and moist type of greenery freezing. The method preserves the basic vitamins and enzymes, but if you accidentally thaw more of the sorrel than necessary, the repeated freezing is absolutely excluded.
Dry freezing of sorrel
Preparation:
- Finely chopped sorrel tightly packed in bags and pack them, avoiding excess air.
- Put the packages in the freezer and after 2-3 hours, press them with your hands to prevent the sorrel from sticking together.
Wet freezing of sorrel
Preparation:
- Spread sliced sorrel on ice forms( silicone should be used best) and pour it with filtered water.
- Place the greens in the freezer and store there until used.
Sorrel in salt
The ideal way to save sorrel for several months. The main thing to remember is that due to the high concentration of salt, wherever you add greens, you do not need to salt the dish.
Preparation:
- Rinse and finely chop the sorrel.
- Mix greens with a large salt in a ratio of four to one( for every four tablespoons of greens use one spoonful of salt).
- Tightly lay the mass over the sterilized jars and achieve the appearance of juice.
- Place the containers in a cool place for about two days, then cover them with covers.
Tips for preparing
- When freezing in sorrel, the concentration of acids is partially reduced, which affects its taste. If you prefer sour greens, choose another method of conservation.
- Sorrel in butter is ideal for adding to pasta sauces, various vegetable stews, salads and puree soups.
- When drying the sorrel should be cut not too finely( otherwise the excess juice will be released), but not very large( otherwise the greens will dry too long).
- Canned sorrel is added to the dish a few minutes before it is ready to preserve vitamins and minerals as much as possible.
- Frozen sorrel is best divided into small portions, so that each one is enough for exactly one recipe.