Spring

Sorrel Soup, Served with Spring Onions and Prickly Mushroom Relish

Name: Sorrel Soup, Served with Spring Onions and Prickly Mushroom Relish
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients: • 1 tablespoon butter; • 2 bunches baby leeks, if using regular leeks, white part only; • 4 garlic cloves; • 4 shallots, peeled and sliced; • 2 sprigs thyme; • 2 bay leaves; • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced; • 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock; • 2 bunches sorrel leaves; • 1 cup nettle leaves, blanched and chopped; • Salt and pepper to taste; • Sour Cream or Crème Fraîche to finish (optional); • 1 medium shallot, finely diced; • 4 spring onions, thinly sliced; • 3/4 cup marinated Prickly or any small mushrooms; • 2 teaspoons olive oil; • Salt and pepper to taste; • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar; • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

by: Kukla

April 26, 2012

3 Ratings

Sorrel Soup, Served with Spring Onions and Prickly Mushroom Relish

Serves 6-8

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

During spring and early summer I cook this kind of soup with Sorrel and Nettle, which are very popular in Eastern Europe. Sorrel has a natural sourness and Nettle a ton of vitamins. Blanched, nettles will keep their emerald loveliness even after a good 15 minutes of cooking, which makes any dish visually stunning. Be sure to wear gloves when removing the nettle leaves from the stems. You will need a fair bit of sorrel to make this recipe, as it cooks down into a puree very fast. The delicious spring onions and marinated mushroom relish you can serve also with grilled fish, chicken or steak. —Kukla

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the soup
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 bunches baby leeks, if using regular leeks, white part only
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
• 2 bunches sorrel leaves
• 1 cup nettle leaves, blanched and chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sour Cream or Crème Fraîche to finish (optional)

For the Relish
• 1 medium shallot, finely diced
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup marinated Prickly or any small mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

For the soup
Melt the butter in a medium soup pot over a medium heat. Sweat the leeks, garlic, shallots and herbs until translucent. Add the potatoes and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and reduce the heat to a simmer for about half an hour.
Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Add the sorrel and nettle; then pulse the blender a few more times to mix together. Pass the mixture through a fine chinos or food mill. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You may add a dollop of Sour Cream or Crème Fraîche to finish, if desired. Serve immediately.

For the Relish
Place shallot and spring onions in a bowl of ice water; soak 20 minutes. Drain shallot and spring onions, squeezing in paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible; transfer to a bowl. Add sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Mix in the mushrooms and spoon on the top of the soup as much as you desire. Enjoy!

Tags:

Contest Entries

Your Best Spring Alliums

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Annie stader
LeBec Fin
Kukla

Popular on Food52

3 Reviews

Annie S. August 30, 2016

I was looking for a good soup and of course I would find this lovely one with your name. Luckily I thought to freeze Sorrel this year!
I think the mushrooms are oyster mushrooms. I spoke with my local mushroom farmer and that is his opinion.
I live near many Eastern European markets so special ingredients are not difficult to find.
Thanks for the recipe.

LeBec F. April 28, 2012

wow, kukla, what a lovely photo. I have never heard of 'prickly mushrooms'. Heck, I've never even SEEN a mushroom with prickles. What is that? I must google it!
best,
mindy

Kukla April 29, 2012

In Russian they are called “Opiata” and Google, gave me Prickly fungi, that is why I wrote Prickly Mushrooms. I haven’t seen them in stores in raw but in Russian and European delis they are sold in jars marinated or pickled and are tasty and piquant. We use them in salads and relishes. I will add a picture after the recipe is tested. Thanks for the comment, Le Bec Fin!