Moira Hodgsons Sorrel Soup Recipes

DAUPHINE POTATOES WITH SORREL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash the sorrel and discard the stems. Chop the leaves coarsely. Melt two tablespoons butter in a skillet and saute the sorrel until it has wilted. Set it aside.
• Butter a nine-inch baking dish and layer it with potatoes and sorrel, pouring on a little cream and seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Top with potatoes, cream, salt and pepper and the remaining butter cut in small pieces.
• Bake the potatoes for 45 minutes to an hour or until they are tender and the top is browned.

MOIRA HODGSON'S SORREL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter and soften the shallots. Add the potatoes, water and chicken stock and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer gently until the potatoes are soft.
• Meanwhile, wash the sorrel, discard the stems and chop the leaves coarsely. When the potatoes are cooked, add the sorrel to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until the sorrel has wilted. Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer gently for five minutes.
• Remove the soup from the heat and puree it in batches in a food processor. Allow it to cool.
• Stir in the buttermilk and chill the soup overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to serve the soup, swirl in the cream and correct the seasoning. Garnish with chopped sorrel leaves sprinkled on top.

SORREL SAUCE

Steps:

• Wash the sorrel and spinach and discard the stems. Chop the leaves coarsely. Soften the shallot in the butter in a saucepan. Add the sorrel with the spinach and cook until they have wilted.
• Add the chicken stock or water, bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes. Add the cream and puree the mixture in a food processor or blender. If you are using the sauce right away, return it to the saucepan and season to taste with salt and pepper. If you are serving the sauce chilled, refrigerate it for at least two hours.

MOIRA HODGSON'S CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Heat the cream until small bubbles form around the edge.
• Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the upper container of a double boiler set over very hot water. Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, then whisk in the butter.
• Gradually add the hot cream, whisking constantly. Turn up the heat so that the water in the bottom of the double boiler starts to simmer gently. Cook for four minutes, whisking constantly (the yolks are cooked at 160 degrees on a candy thermometer).
• Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Cool, stirring constantly for about five minutes.
• Beat the egg whites until they stand up in glossy peaks. With a large rubber spatula, stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then gradually fold in the rest.
• Scrape the mousse into a large bowl or individual dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm (about two hours for individual bowls and about five hours for a large mousse).

BABA'S BEST SORREL SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add sorrel in batches, stirring well until wilted, 5 to 8 minutes in all.
• Pour chicken stock and water into the Dutch oven. Stir in potatoes, carrot, parsley, dill, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer soup until flavors combine, about 1 hour.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until mostly smooth before serving.

SORREL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, without browning, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add sorrel and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir over low heat for about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring, over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Stir in boiling stock. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, beat yolks lightly with cream. Whisking constantly, slowly pour 1 cup hot stock mixture into egg mixture, then return back to saucepan. Do not let soup boil after egg yolks have been added or yolks will curdle.
• Stir in softened butter and serve hot with a dollop of creme fraiche and chervil. If serving the soup chilled, do not add the softened butter.