The chef told about unusual dishes with sorrel

In addition to common salads and soups, sorrel will make excellent light sauces, kvass and dressings. When used in side dishes, it is combined with absolutely all products, Andrey Kolodyazhny, the brand chef of the Chernaya Lisichka restaurant, a specialist in gastronomy, told Izvestia's Food Without Borders gastronomic project.

This herb with pleasant lemon notes in taste appears on the shelves just in the second half of May.

"From a gastronomic point of view, sorrel became very popular literally five years ago. Its most common use is in soups and salads, and the most extravagant is in desserts," the Izvestia source explained.

The product differs seasonally, and each new crop contains a large amount of vitamins and trace elements that are useful to the body after the winter season. These include vitamins A and B, ascorbic acid, iron and fluorine.

In total, there are three varieties of sorrel: garden, French (corymbose) and red-veined. In gastronomy, French is most often used, said Andrey Kolodyazhny. It is necessary to choose the product carefully, the expert advises.

"First, evaluate the appearance of the leaves, carefully examine them for damage from various insects, whether there are holes or growths on them, whether the color is uniform," recommends the brand chef. "It is best to choose sorrel with small leaves that should not have moisture on them."

To the touch, such leaves should be elastic and dense, in no case sluggish.

Among the unusual cooking options is a crispy sorrel salad combined with asparagus, said Andrey Kolodyazhny. Sour leaves can even be used in desserts — it opens up especially well when paired with chocolate, due to the contrast of sweet and sour.

You can read more tips from chefs and exclusive recipes on the Izvestia Zen channel "Food Without Borders".