Lucinda Frye
Diverse and indigenous cuisine brought by the many ethnic people to St. Maarten from all over the world piques our interest. To this end, we are on a quest to find where it comes from, if it is used for celebrations, if it is exotic to some but normal food to others. Anything to do with keeping the body and soul nourished with that which is produced from good old terra firma is what makes the world go around.
It is not too early to think of Christmas, if you are a gardener; I’m talking particularly about drinks and desserts here!
Our okra is doing amazingly well. We harvest far too many okras for our own consumption and are happy to give our surplus away. Our tomatoes are a complete failure this year, seems others are having the same sort of luck (not). Our eggplant and bananas are doing well – eureka – it is great to have some good success in the garden.
Looking at our garden to work out the success and failures of what can be planted where, I searched to find a crop that may do well in the beds near or even shared with the okra and I realized that the flowers on the okra are a type of hibiscus. The sorrel plants we have in small pots have similar flowers and then the penny dropped – they are the Jamaican sorrel. Plant them close to the okra and we should have a good crop of sorrel.
However, what is sorrel?
The name sorrel means a weed, to us who hail from Southern Africa. The weed has a sort of sour lemon flavour. We used to pick the long stems when we were in the fields making daisy chains from the wild daisies on spring afternoons after school. My mother was always scolding us not to pick and eat these weeds without washing them because dogs surely had lifted their legs on the weeds! These thoughts stayed with me as I grew older and past the age of the sheer joy of being free in the grassy fields.
In researching sorrel, I found that what we used to pick is not the sorrel the Europeans know, it is also far from the sorrel we grow here on island.
South African Sorrel
The sorrel we know is a native to Namibia and South Africa. It grows abundantly in some Mediterranean areas as well as in sub-tropical and semi-dessert areas. It has small leaves, long stems and bright yellow flowers. Its name is Oxalis pes-caprea – but it goes by many common names – Cape Sorrel, sour grass, Bermuda buttercup, etc. It is toxic to some people if eaten in vast quantities.
Sorrel Leaves
Sorrel is a leafy green native to Europe with a sharp, lemony taste. The leaves have a sort of arrow-head shape, like some spinach leaves. In southern India, sorrel leaves are called chukkakura – these are made into a type of pickle.
Its sour taste is due to the presence of oxalic acid (something we found out that my poor younger sister was allergic to). The name is a derivative of a French word that means “sour”. Sorrel leaves are made into soups or sauces and can also be added to salads; I have enjoyed a quite tasty cream of sorrel soup. Add these leaves to peppers, potatoes, eggs, fish, mustard and olive oil.
Jamaican Sorrel
This is the sorrel so popular here, especially round Christmastime. It is also known as Roselle Hibiscus, Florida Cranberry, Indian Sorrel, Queensland Jam Plant (in Australia.). This plant grows well in the right climate making a pretty hedge with lovely flowers (so similar to the okra flowers) and it is known for its edible calyces. Each flower lasts only a day, then the edible calyces begin to develop. The calyces of Roselle are used to make juices, sauces, jellies, wines and pies.
Mmmmm, and so our love of “sorrel” is beginning. It is a plant that all SXM gardeners should really start growing. Fresh calyces are pretty expensive to buy and one needs quite a few of them to cook with. The dried version can be found in our stores and online, but growing and harvesting one’s own has so much more appeal.
The plants can grow 5 to 7 feet tall on St. Maarten. Ours are already flowering fairly prolifically and we understand they should go on producing for a few more months. The plants do best in a full-sun site with soil rich in organic matter. It seems to handle the strong sea breezes and it does like water.
Jamaican sorrel starts being ready to pick about 10 weeks from sowing. I read that one should crop the shrubs down every four weeks or so to encourage more calyces. Calyces are ready to pick when they're plump and have stopped growing.
Jamaican sorrel grows from seed and cuttings. It is suggested one rotates the Jamaican sorrel to different spots every year to discourage root nematode infestations. The blossoms are traditionally steeped in hot or cold water to make a refreshing herbal, caffeine-free, tea. The tea has a beautiful ruby colour and tart, tangy flavour something like that of cranberry or pomegranate.
I think my plants should be cropped soon, but I am hesitant to do this as they are looking so healthy right now. I have been picking the “fruit” and rinsing them then setting them out to dry. But I found they went mouldy rather quickly (perhaps it is the humidity we are having). I am obviously doing something wrong. I have since chosen an easier route and now freeze them after removing the round seed pod. I will dry these seed pods for planting next season. I am waiting for a big freezer batch that can be used in the recipes listed below.
For those who are keen to grow their own Jamaican sorrel, now is the time to prep beds or containers and sow some seed. How wonderful to offer your own home-grown sorrel during the Christmas holidays!
RECIPES
Jamaican Sorrel Rum Punch
The dried sepals of the hibiscus flower – calyces – are infused with hot water and spices. They need sweetening with sugar as the drink itself is quite tart – refreshing, festive, unique and perfect for entertaining. You can of course leave the rum out, but you will need to add liquid to make up for the rum.
Ingredients
1½ cups dried sorrel calyces
2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, finely diced
3 whole cloves
5¾ cups water
¾ cup sugar
1½ cups rum (brown)
2 cups ice cubes, or to taste
Orange slices for garnish
Method
Combine sorrel, ginger, cloves in a bowl.
Bring 5 cups water to a boil, pour over sorrel mixture, allow to steep 4 hours or overnight.
Bring remaining 3/4 cup water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, allow to cool.
Strain the sorrel liquid into a jug, discard (compost) the solids.
Stir in the sugar syrup.
Add the rum and ice cubes, garnish punch with orange slices.
Jamaican Sorrel Chutney - this goes great with chicken and turkey
Ingredients
7 cups fresh sorrel calyces
2½ cups brown sugar
2½ cups water
2 small onions - diced finely
1 garlic clove - minced
2-inch piece ginger - grated
1 lime, juiced
1 TBL white vinegar
¾ cup sultanas (sub with dried cranberries)
7 allspice grains, crushed
2 yellow Scotch Bonnet pepper - de-seeded, chopped fine (sub with another hot pepper according to your taste)
Method
Wash sorrel thoroughly.
Pop into a bowl, set aside.
Mix together water, brown sugar, allspice, ginger and garlic in a large saucepan.
Cook over high heat for five minutes, reduce to a simmer.
Add fresh sorrel calyces, raisins (cranberries), lime juice, vinegar and hot peppers.
Stir ingredients well.
Cover, cook stirring occasionally until the mixture becomes thick like a jam.
Remove from heat, cool and bottle.
Flavour improves if used later.
Rosemary Garlic Sorrel Chicken – the chicken can be roasted in a preheated oven or done on the grill.
Ingredients
1½ cups fresh sorrel
1 cup sugar
¾ cup water
½ cup brown rum
⅛ tsp orange zest
1 tsp mixed spice
4 breasts - skin on (I use 8 skin on thighs)
6-8 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
1TBL fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
1 large yellow onion – cut into wedges
3 chopped celery stalks
½ cup chicken broth
Garnish – fresh rosemary
Method
Combine sorrel, water, rum, orange zest, mixed spice and sugar in a saucepan.
Cook until slightly syrupy, set aside.
Mix garlic, paprika, rosemary leaves, salt, pepper, peppers, olive oil, lemon juice together in a bowl.
Add chicken, massage well under and over the skin.
Set aside to marinate 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven 425° F.
Brown chicken on all sides in 1 TBL olive oil until just golden (or BBQ until just golden).
Place chicken, celery, onions, lemon halves and liquid from marinade onto a lightly oiled baking pan.
Add chicken broth juice from pan.
Bake in preheated oven 35 to 40 minutes until fully cooked through.
Garnish with fresh rosemary and serve with the syrupy sauce, rice pilaf or mashed potatoes or grain of your choice.
