Ukrainian green borscht with backyard curly dock weeds

So, as you can see, I'm not terribly good about updating my blog. 

That said, I have been out foraging, just not feeling like posting, trying new things, or communicating with the outside world. That happens with me.

So I did try something new this weekend: Ukrainian green borscht. Properly known as Shchavel borscht, it gets its name from Shchavel, the Ukrainian word for sorrel. 

Garden sorrel, Latin name: Rumex acetosa, is a garden vegetable grown mostly in Europe and the Mediterranean area--though it was popular in one time in America. Sorrel is a broad-leaf green rich with potassium, vitamin A and oxalic acid*. The latter gives it a sharp, sour flavor. 

Sorrel is popular, in part, because it's very easy to grow. The entire genus Rumex are known to grow in poor soil, both dry and we conditions, alkaline and acidic areas, and sun or shade. They are hardy plants that don't require much care. They are so hardy that one member, Rumex crispus--aka curly dock--has managed to naturalize itself throughout most of North America, having become a common weed. You almost certainly have some growing near you.

Curly dock in January in Texas is still very young and tender. These leaves are about 8 inches long,
at full growth they will be nearly double that. 

Generally a spring and summer plant, the mild climate of Texas means that curly dock can be found in the Dallas area from late fall through early spring, with December through March being peak.

Curly dock has many of the health benefits of garden sorrel, as well as being rich in iron. It's easy to identify in the wild, and was probably brought here originally as a food crop--but fell out of favor. 

I usually used curly dock as a substitute for spinach, but it actually makes a lot more sense to substitute it for sorrel, since they are very closely related, in the same genus. Spinach recipes are a lot easier to come by, but I was very excited to find a true sorrel recipe I could sub curly dock for. 

When very young, curly dock can lack the crinkled edges that make ID easy. If you are new to foraging you might want to remember the old saying: "When in doubt, throw it out!"

The lower edges of this leaf perfectly showcase
the "crisping" or crinkling that gives this plant
it's name. 

If you are new to foraging, you might want to be extra careful of curly dock harvested early in the season. When it's very young many of the key identification features will be missing, especially the "crisped" leaves. The leaf edges of curly dock have an irregular waviness, which is one of the easiest forms of ID, however very young plants, like the one immediately above will not show this feature.

No matter what the age, if your curly dock has some few spots of red/brown it's nothing to be concerned about. The oxalic acid in the plant will turn it bright red when damaged, and even  strong wind is enough to bruise a leaf. 

Anyway, back to the borscht.

This is a really delicious soup, made with either sorrel or backyard weeds. It's hearty, meaty, salty, herby and sour. In terms of nutrition, this is a very healthy meal, with a lot of protein, healthy carbs and fats and a ton of vitamins, minerals and macronutrients.

When you mix in the sour cream the result is both visually appealing and has out-of-this-world flavor.

Traditionally, the sorrel ads the sourness, but is served with sour cream, to negate the sourness. I personally really like the unique sour flavor, but I also like the salty creaminess of the sour cream. I decided to keep the sour cream in (some people leave it out) but also to enhance the sourness with lemon and lime.  Next time I think I will forgo the lime and stick only to the lemon, as I thought the lime altered the other flavors too strongly.

Like many ancient cultural recipes, there isn't one "true" way to make the dish.  Each household has their own version, and even those can change based on what's available. Some recipes use pork, some use chicken, and some are vegetarian. I created an amalgam of whatever most appealed to me from all the variations I reattached, but I tried to stay true to the core elements of this meal.

I opted to use pork, but I will provide information for you to easily convert this dish to veggie. Every variation on this dish is gluten-free, and you can make it dairy-free and Whole30 acceptable by omitting the sour cream.

Ukrainian green borscht with curly dock

Makes six servings of two cups each. 

2 lb. country-style pork ribs, optional
4 cups of roughly chopped curly dock
12 cups good quality vegetable stock
6 cups of cubed white or red potatoes
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large yellow or white onion, minced
Juice and zest of 1 lemon, separated
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 eggs
3 tbs. butter
3 bay leaves
olive oil
salt, pepper, celery powder

1.  In a large pot or dutch oven, heat butter and a drizzle of olive oil. Add diced garlic and onion and sauté until onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant. Remove from the pot and set aside.

2. Add your stock, bay leaves, salt, pepper, lemon juice and celery powder to the pot and bring to a simmer. While your stock is heating, break the eggs into a bowl and beat lightly.

3. Cut your pork ribs into bite-sized pieces. Add the pork, and all bones, to the pot and boil for 10-15 minutes. Skim any foam and impurities that rise to the surface. Remove pork from pot, scrape off any remaining meat from the bones, and set aside.

4. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Return the onion/garlic to the pot.

5. Reduce heat and drizzle the beaten eggs into the pot while continuously whisking.

6. Return the pork to the pot, increase heat to a simmer. Mix the curly dock in, stirring constantly, and cook for 7-10 minutes. Your dock will turn olive green as the oxalic acid in the greens heat. This is perfectly normal.

7. Remove the soup from heat. Whisk the lemon zest into the sour cream and serve each bowl with a generous dollop. 

* Obligatory note on curly dock. 

Like many wild and cultivated plants, curly dock contains oxalic acid. The levels of oxalic acid in curly dock are safe for healthy adults, when a serving or two a day is eaten in balance with a healthy diet. Anyone with kidney or liver problems, or with certain autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, should avoid this plant and others containing oxalic acid.