Sorrel Millet Soup
Our gardens are finally done for the season on this late November day and covered in a blanket of snow. Well, except some herbs that carry on through the winter, such as sage and thyme. One of the last things I harvested from the garden was sorrel. This is my first year growing it so I’m experimenting with it. I planted it in early spring and enjoyed it throughout the summer. Most recipes I found and researched were for a spring meal and a spring harvest. To my surprise the sorrel came up in the spring, thrived in the summer, tolerated the heat and continued growing into the fall. Even after a hard frost and freezing temperatures took the rest of the garden, the sorrel soldiered on. I’ll see how it looks after I unbury it from the snow, I may continue to be surprised.
My grandmother made a sorrel soup when I was little, it was one of my favorites and there is no recipe in her cookbook or recipe box. My Mom remembered she used millet in it. If you’re not familiar with Sorrel, its tart and looks like a spinach leaf. I use it raw in my salads with other garden lettuces, or in tuna salad. When sorrel is introduced to heat, it wilts quickly and loses some of its green color, but retains that wonderful sour fresh taste. Once the weather cooled, I experimented with a Sorrel Millet Soup. We really have been enjoying it. Is it just like my grandmothers? No, not exactly, but delicious just the same. I will grow sorrel again next year and experiment with more recipes.
Sorrel Millet Soup
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stack, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
8 cups tightly packed fresh sorrel leaves washed and stems removed if tough
1/3 cup millet
4 cups low sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste
Grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cayenne pepper
Sour cream (optional)
Melt butter and olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery and garlic; stir, cover, and cook until tender, stirring every couple minutes. Do not let get brown.
Add the sorrel and millet; stir. Cook until completely wilted, about 5 minutes.
Add the stock, parsley, salt and pepper to taste, a couple grates of nutmeg and the cayenne and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until millet is tender.
Serve hot. If using sour cream add a tablespoon to each serving and stir. I have tried it with sour cream, and without, and both are wonderful.
