Sheep sorrel (the cultivated herb) and wood sorrel (the clover like kind) are unrelated genera. The first is Rumex. The second is Oxalis. Both have a sour taste, but the taste of sheep sorrel is from ascorbic acid while the sourness of wood sorrel is from oxalic acid.

FWIW, one form of ascorbic acid is vitamin C. I don't know if that is the form found in sorrel. Oxalic acid is found in spinach and some other greens.

I see what you are attempting to do but I don't know how to help.

Jim

Yes, wood sorrel is what I have. It is not the same as the cultivated sorrel, but it tastes similar and is also used to make this soup. I have a bunch of that, plus some dill and cilantro volunteers, and some dandelion greens and a bit of mint and some thyme prunings. I'm not worried about the herbs, mixed spring greens soup can have many greens, but I am wondering what is the best background--a white sauce, potatoes, rice, egg yolks and cream . . . Many cultures and many ways to enjoy this soup, I've just never tried it.

I'd opt for the first recipe, the one with assorted herbs and potatoes. I think you'll find that the smoothness of the potato, and the additional flavours, will soften the bitterness of the sorrel. You can further soften it by serving with a swirl of cream.

The potato acts as a thickener, BTW, as does rice in the second recipe. I don't fancy breadcrumbs as a thickener, as in the third recipe. But that's just me.

Unless someone comes up with a definitive answer, I suggest you take your best shot and report back to us. I'm looking forward to the result. All of us will learn.

Jim

Thanks for tipping me on the oxalic acid Jim. After you mentioned it I recalled that it is toxic. I'm not sure if all these sorrels have it, (some things I read on the Web said they did, but I don't know for sure), but obviously the Oxalis does! These are toxic in large amounts. Of course I can't find anything on how much is a "large amount" but I will err on the side of caution. I do recall learning once that farmers hate oxalis as a weed because it spoils the quality of the milk that cows give if they munch on it too much in with their feed.

I have a lemon that is languishing in the fridge too, so I'm thinking to add this along with the herbs. I'm going to check some more recipes. I'll report back.

P.S. - I teach botany so I know what I'm doing. Be careful about eating wild stuff--some of it is good and lots of it is poison!

OK, don't panic about the oxalic acid, other more common greens have it too, like lambsquarters, beet leaves, spinach, swiss chard (leaves & stalks), rhubarb, and parsley. All things I like. Moderation is key, unless you have problems with calcium absorption or kidney stones.

I just finished the batch, it is pretty yummy, and I can see why people liked it in the spring, because back in the day lemons weren't commonly available. The stuff looks like something you would need to clean off of the aquarium though.

I very vaguely followed a recipe for "Saint Bertille Herb Soup" from a cookbook called "Twelve Months of Monastery Soups" by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourette. (What a name!) I love the book, got if for Christmas one year.

The actual recipe sounds good too. It calls for lettuce, parsley, watercress, scallions and chervil, none of which I used, lol! I sort of subbed the herbs I had, and some wild onion bulbs from the yard and some dried chives and dried chervil. And the juice of a wrinkly lemon. The combo of bolted cilantro and the tartness of the sorrel was good. Also in there was thyme prunings and dill volunteers, along with some dandelion greens and some frozen spinach. I also didn't have cream so used 2% milk and lite cream cheese mixed. Also added one yellow potato.

Saint Bertille Herb Soup - from "Twelve Months of Monastery Cooking"

1 small head leaf lettuce
1 bunch sorrel
1 cup chopped parsley
10 scallions or 2 leeks
1 bunch watercress
butter
1 1/2 quarts vegetable stock
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 cup chervil
salt and pepper to taste

Shred the lettuce and the sorrel. Chop the parsley, scallions and watercress into small pieces. Melt the butter in the soup pot, add the chopped greens and cook slowly for a few minutes over low heat. Stir continually. Add the stock and the wine. Cover the pot and cook for about 40 min.

Remove the pot from the heat, add the cream, beaten egg white, chervil, salt and pepper. Blend well in a blender. Reheat the soup for a few mintues, but do not allow it to boil. Refrigerate the soup and serve cold. Or it can be served hot with slices of French bread on the side.

Note: I pureed the soup in the pot with a hand blender. I mixed the egg and milk together, and then slowly added 1 cup of the broth to that mixture. Then I slowly drizzled the egg mixture into the warm soup. I cooked it on low to cook the egg for about 10 min. It didn't curdle! I will be eating this hot, as I can't abide by cold soup for some reason. Gazpacho and cucumber are all I have been able to stomache.

All green leafy vegetables (and especially the old-fashioned 'potherbs' like sorrel and dandelion etc) contain some oxalic acid. If you get the opportunity, try one of the heirloom varieties of lettuce and compare its bitterness with that of the 'newer' varieties. It's actually the oxalic acid in rhubarb leaves, for instance, which makes them poisonous - or rather, the amount of it.

One way to make your wild foods safer, is to boil them in several changes of water. A bit like blanching several times, if you know what I mean!