What’s Cooking: Jamaican Sorrel
Last year I told you about Jamaican rum cake, a popular food to eat during the holidays. 
Today I will tell you about another Jamaican specialty – Sorrel. This is the most popular drink served during Christmas and New Years on the island and in Jamaican diasporic communities worldwide. Sorrel is made out of a hibiscus flower grown on many Caribbean islands and was most likely brought to the New World from West Africa, where it is referred to as roselle or Zobo.
I currently use this more simplified version the recipe for making sorrel, like for the dinner party I hosted for friends and colleagues last weekend. I borrowed the recipe from Jamaicans.com.
INGREDIENTS :
- 1 pound sorrel
- 2-4 oz. ginger
- 2 quarts water
- sugar
- wine or Jamaican White Rum (optional)
- 8-12 pimento grains
METHOD:
- Wash sorrel thoroughly, using the fingers to lift it from the water.
- Put into a stainless steel container.
- Scrape and wash ginger. Grate and Add to the sorrel. Add pimento grains.
- Boil water and pour over sorrel.
- Allow standing 4-6 hours. Strain.
- Sweeten to taste and add rum to taste.
- Add optional wine.
- Serve with ice cubes.