The Many Faces of Sorrel

While our unique upbringings and experiences have shaped how we think about food, I like to think that the possibilities for a single ingredient in your shopping cart are endless.

Christmas is around the corner. People around the world are preparing to share their holiday traditions with friends and loved ones, many of which revolve around the preparation and consumption of food. Caribbean people can boast of having some of the most unique Christmas traditions and look forward to their favourite foods and drinks of the season.

Sorrel/roselle plant fruit.

One ingredient that makes a star appearance every year is sorrel. Also known as Roselle or Hibiscus Sabdariffa, this unique fruit is mostly used to make a very refreshing beverage, sorrel drink. However, this year, I wish to challenge our readers to embrace the many faces of sorrel and allow it to grace your dining tables in different forms.

This is without a doubt an extremely versatile fruit that can be made into a chutney, jam, tea infusion, salsa, sauce for meats and desserts, coulis, glaze and sorbet. If you love to experiment in the kitchen, I am sure you are thinking of other dishes you can make as well. Comment below and share your ideas.

2020 has definitely been an unpredictable and surprising year. A lot happened that almost broke us, but we survived, we adapted, evolved and grew. And it is in that spirit that I encourage everyone to think of ways you can reinvent traditional Christmas recipes that may just blow your socks off!

Try this Sorrel Chutney recipe, perfect for pork loins and to eat alongside ham and pastelles. Can also be served over cream cheese logs.

Sorrel Chutney Recipe

Ingredients:

6 cups sorrel calyces (without pits)
3/4 cup liquid brown sugar
1 small onion (finely chopped)
1 tbsp ginger
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 lime (juiced)
1 small scotch bonnet (finely chopped)
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp orange zest
1/4 cup cranberries (finely chopped)

MInt leaves finely chopped or for garnishing - optional*

Method

Wash sorrel thoroughly and place in a colander to drain.

Saute onions, ginger, garlic & scotch bonnet until brown in a large sauce pan.

Add sorrel, vinegar, lime juice, orange zest and cranberries and mix well.

Cover sauce pan yet stir occasionally until the mixture reaches a jam consistency.

Remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hour before use.