Do you like Greek dishes like avgolemono? Then you'll like this recipe for dock soup with rice and lemon--they're basically cousins. Dock, or Rumex species are legion across the United States, and, as much as I would like to tell you that I cooked with curly dock for this recipe, I can't be exactly certain.
There are a lot of docks (I've heard around 11 or so) and separating them to species can be difficult even for real hard core professional plant people. The good news is that all docks are edible (they're relatives of sorrel) the bad news, is that they generally have a poor reputation as an edible, which I'll get into.
The reason many people don't like them, is that dock, after cooking has a bit of a soft, slippery feel. The greens also break down much faster than others I've cooked, so people that boil their greens with some dock in there might end up with a slippery mess. Some people like green pudding type dishes--I don't. But, docks and all their relatives have been used as food plants by people around the world for a very long time. 
Dock Leaves grow in thick basal rosettes.This soup is a simple version of one I read about in an Italian book I've been translating, and it ends up eating a bit like avgolemono. It's a classic poverty-cuisine style soup.
Meat stock is nice, but not totally necessary, and starch is added in the form of rice to add some body. Add some beaten egg, healthy glugs of good olive oil and a generous drizzle of fresh lemon juice at the end and you have yourself some fine European comfort food.
Mediterranean Dock Soup with Rice and Lemon
Equipment
- 1 3 quart soup pot
Ingredients
- 6 oz fresh tender dock leaves washed and cleaned
- Kosher salt to taste
- Fresh lemon juice to taste
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling to taste
- ¼ cup basmati or other long grain rice
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Chopped fresh oregano to taste or ½ Tablespoon wild bee balm
- Pinch of ground cumin
- 1 Large egg beaten
Instructions
- Blanch the dock leaves in boiling salted water until just wilted—a few seconds, then cool in cold water, and squeeze out as much water as possible. You should have about ¾ cup.
- Meanwhile, toast the rice in a 350 F oven until just golden, then cool, add to a pot with a pinch of salt and ½ cup of water, bring to a simmer and cook, covered until tender.
- Coarsely chop the dock leaves in a cross-hatch pattern so there are no long pieces—they need to fit on a spoon.
- Sweat the onion and garlic in the oil for 10 minutes on medium heat, or until just barely browning around the edges. Add the stock, dock leaves and oregano, pinch of cumin and bring to a simmer, adjust the seasoning for salt and pepper, then add the rice and simmer on low for 10 minutes or so to let the flavors meld.
- Finally, pour in the beaten egg in a spiral motion without stirring to ensure the soup won't become cloudy. Allow the egg to heat through, and serve garnished with olive oil, black pepper, and plenty of fresh lemon juice. The soup should taste lemony.
Macarena
Wow I never believe is so good better the spinach , and free.
Here, in virginia ,is the best time , in spring we found so much.
Next week I will try to make ravioli , very nice green. Thank you for your recipe
Alan Bergo
Thanks Macarena, glad it worked for you.
Valerie
Just as good as all the reviews said it would be! A new favorite, which is awesome 'cause I did not have a great recipe for curly dock before.
I added shredded cabbage, dried oyster mushrooms, and red pepper flakes, and it turned out Amazing!
Alan Bergo
Hey thanks Valerie, glad it worked for you.
Jan
Made this and love it! I don't even notice the dock in it, for those afraid of the taste or texture. I think I will try it with violet leaves, as I've read they also get "slimy" when cooked. I added turmeric, as it has little flavor and lots of health benefits.
Alan Bergo
Thanks Jan. This one is such an easy entry for folks looking to cook with dock.
Jenifer
I love using dock but was looking for a new way to eat it. Could I use dried bee balm or wild dittany instead of fresh? Everything is still too young at this point.
Alan Bergo
Bee balm is optional. Fine to use dried.
Brian Little
Making this recipe this weekend - have a bunch of dock growing in my garden and I have never tried it.
Alan Bergo
Thanks Brian, let me know how it turns out for you.
Jes
This is my new favorite dock recipe! Blanching is a great idea I'd never done that before. I used patience dock.
Darren Smith
I had known dock was edible for a while and wasn’t sure how to approach it. Found this recipe and all I can say is wow! The dock still shines through but the soup is a perfect vehicle for a green that I can see how it would maybe not be so great on its own. I had some foraged oyster mushrooms that I sautéed with the onions and garlic which fit right in with the dish. Home run recipe and will be making this every spring since dock is never hard to find!
Alan Bergo
Darren, yeah this is one of my favorite recipes for dock as I'm not going to sit down and eat a plate of it. Glad it worked for you.
Leo King
Delicious. Don't skimp on the lemon juice! I used broad leaf dock for this.
Alan Bergo
Glad it worked for you Leo.
Terese Rachal
what does 6 ounces of dock look like? 2 hand-fulls ? a colander-full?
any guidance will be appreciated. thank you for this recipe !
I'm making it right now, I'm using a colander full. it makes a softball size once I squeezed out the water.
Alan Bergo
Hi Terese
Sorry if that's tough to understand, I'm going to add a conversion to it. After blanching this will be almost exactly 3/4 cup.
Billie
This is absolutely amazing! I foraged the curly dock from my property and made this for dinner tonight; both me and my husband loved it. He was skeptical of me cooking some leaves I brought in from outside but was thoroughly surprised.
Alan Bergo
Hey thanks Billie. I really like this one. About another month for me here before I can have some!
Ash
This was quite literally one of the best meals I've ever made. Thank you so, so much x
Alan Bergo
That makes my day. Such an underused green! Thanks.