Equipment
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 1000 g yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 15 g kosher salt
Sorrel Cream
- 100 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 120 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 100 g fresh sorrel, stems removed and roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 514 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 54 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1511 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 88 mg
- Potassium
- 1644 mg
- Calcium
- 75 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 113 mg
- Phosphorus
- 257 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 594 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 65 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 21 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Peel and cut the potatoes into even 5cm cubes to ensure uniform cooking.
Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add 10 grams of the kosher salt. Bring to a boil at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit, then reduce heat to simmer.
Drain the potatoes in a colander, then immediately return them to the hot, empty pot off the heat for two minutes to evaporate excess surface moisture.
While potatoes evaporate, combine the heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan. Heat gently over medium-low until the butter is melted and the mixture is steaming.
Remove the hot cream mixture from the heat and stir in the chopped sorrel. The sorrel will wilt instantly and turn an olive green color, releasing its citrus notes into the dairy.
Pass the dried potatoes through a potato ricer back into the large pot. Alternatively, mash thoroughly until smooth and free of lumps.
Gently fold the warm sorrel and cream mixture into the riced potatoes until fully incorporated. Season with the remaining 5 grams of salt to taste and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Sorrel is highly acidic, tasting almost exactly like lemon. It contains oxalic acid, which turns dull green or brown immediately upon contact with heat. Do not be alarmed by the color change.
- Using a potato ricer rather than a traditional masher breaks the potato cells open gently, preventing the starches from cross-linking and creating a gluey texture.
- For an extra decadent touch, you can substitute half of the heavy cream with crème fraîche to amplify the tangy notes of the sorrel.
- Yukon Gold potatoes are ideal here because their naturally buttery flavor and medium starch content bridge the gap perfectly between the fat and the sharp sorrel.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Keep in an airtight container. The green color of the sorrel may dull further upon storage.
Reheating: Microwave gently with a splash of milk, or warm in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently.
Troubleshooting
Gummy or gluey potatoes
Cause: Overworking the potatoes by excessive stirring or using a food processor.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Use a ricer for the fluffiest texture and fold the dairy in gently just until combined.
Sorrel looks unappetizingly brown or olive-colored
Cause: Natural acidic reaction of sorrel to heat.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: This is completely normal and unavoidable with fresh sorrel. Chopping it finely helps the color blend better into the potatoes.
Potatoes are watery
Cause: Failing to let the boiled potatoes steam off their excess moisture before mashing.
Fix: Stir over low heat for 3-5 minutes to evaporate additional liquid.
Prevention: Always return drained potatoes to the hot pot for a few minutes to dry out before adding liquids.
Cultural Context
Sorrel is a heritage leafy green heavily utilized in traditional French countryside cooking, most famously in Soupe aux Herbes or paired with fatty fish like salmon. Incorporating it into rich, buttery mashed potatoes cuts through the heavy dairy fat, providing an incredibly bright, built-in acidity without the need to squeeze fresh lemon juice over the dish.
