Sorrel Mousse with Lemon Cream

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When he was working as a caterer, Patrick O'Connell would often study the cookbooks at his local library during his downtime. He discovered his affinity for French food while reading the works of legendary writer Elizabeth David; he especially loved the sorrel sauce he found in her 1960 book, French Provincial Cooking. When he opened The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia, he experimented with sorrel in lots of different ways, eventually creating this exquisite, tangy mousse.

By
Patrick O'Connell
Patrick O'Connell

Patrick O’Connell is the award-winning chef/proprietor of the Michelin-starred restaurant The Inn at Little Washington in Virginia. Considered a pioneer of regional American cuisine, O’Connell achieved international acclaim for elevating the profile of American cooking over the last four decades at his simple country inn-turned-culinary shrine. He is the author of The Inn at Little Washington Cookbook (1996), Patrick O'Connell's Refined American Cuisine: The Inn at Little Washington (2004), and The Inn at Little Washington: A Magnificent Obsession (2015).

Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines
Updated on May 8, 2019
Sorrel Mousse with Lemon Cream
Photo: © Petrina Tinslay
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
4 hrs 30 mins
Yield:
6
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups stemmed sorrel leaves

  • 1 cup chicken stock or vegetable broth

  • 3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

  • Salt and freshly ground white pepper

  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

  • 1/4 cup crème fraîche

  • 1 ounce caviar (optional)

Directions

  1. In a blender, puree the sorrel with 3/4 cup of the chicken stock until smooth. In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock and let stand until softened, about 2 minutes. Microwave the gelatin at medium power just until melted, 5 to 10 seconds. Add the gelatin mixture to the blender along with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and the red wine vinegar. Season with salt and white pepper and puree until very smooth. Add 1 cup of the heavy cream and pulse just until very lightly whipped, about 1 minute. Transfer the sorrel mousse to a measuring cup and pour into 6 small glasses. Refrigerate the mousse until set, about 4 hours.

  2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of cream and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with the crème fraîche to soft peaks. Season with salt and white pepper. Dollop the lemon cream on the mousse and top with the caviar. Serve chilled.

Originally appeared: September 2009

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