Sorrel Soup with Leeks and Peas

My first encounter with aveluk (wild sorrel) was in 2015 when Doug and I were in Yerevan. I’d ordered aveluk soup at local restaurant and was hooked. The soup was delicious and comforting and I knew I’d want to make it once we returned home. There was one major problem – finding sorrel, fresh or dried, near our home in south Florida was not possible. Friend, and author, Rubina Sevadjian to the rescue! Rubina was kind enough to mail us a packet of sorrel seeds from her home in England. From it grew just enough fresh sorrel to make Sorrel, Spinach and Rice soup.

Since then, we’ve moved to South Carolina. We still can’t find fresh or dried aveluk, but were amazed when we discovered a European Market inside an Exxon gas station store near our home that sells Eastern European, Russian, and Armenian products. We’ve bought lavash, basturma, string cheese, Armenian wines, preserves, grape leaves, and so much more!
On a recent visit to the store, I spotted jars of preserved sorrel! Naturally, I bought one to try.

Making the Soup: Knowing how sour sorrel can taste, I decided to combine the preserved sorrel with leeks and peas to help tone-down the tartness. Be warned, preserved sorrel has a fairly high salt content, so don’t add any salt to the recipe until you’ve tasted the finished product. Can’t find fresh sorrel, don’t fret; fresh spinach with a splash of lemon juice saves the day!