Ugly as it is, horseradish root is among the many small delights of life. Fresh or processed, I am virtually never without horseradish in my refrigerator and/or freezer, ready to give some zip to anything from soup to nuts.
My grandmother always grew and grated her own horseradish, handing it around to family every few days, as she processed it. The pungent aroma of freshly grated horseradish was often part of what I recall as “Grandma’s kitchen smell.” Horseradish is an ideal condiment for venison, as well as wild salmon, and both were so frequently in Grandma’s and our kitchen, it’s no wonder some of my earliest food memories involve the flavor and aroma of horseradish.
Horseradish root is, of course, a vegetable, related to mustard, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. It is coarse, grubby-skinned, bumpy and ugly when pulled from the ground.
It is one of the five bitter herbs that are a required element of Passover food. It’s considered an aphrodisiac in some parts of the world, and is used as a cure for just about anything in some cultures.
There may be some validity to the health benefits of horseradish. Scientists at MIT recently did some experimenting and found, among other things, that putting raw horseradish root in water removed a number of pollutants from the water. Other studies done with Japanese horseradish, wasabi, indicate that it contributes to support of the immune system, helps to maintain liver function and inhibits microbe growth.
If you’ve always bought your horseradish in a bottle, I’d like to recommend that you try making your own, fresh from the root, at least once. It’s not difficult, as you can usually find fresh horseradish root in the produce section of most markets, and you might be surprised to find you prefer it to the milder (usually) store-bought version.
Buy white (the whiter the fresher), clean, firm, roots with few or no blemishes.
If you’re not going to turn them into horseradish immediately, wash the roots, pat dry, and store them in an airtight bag at 32 to 38 degrees. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for four to six weeks; six months or more in the freezer.
When you are ready to process your ugly roots, be sure to do it in a well-ventilated room. The aroma of freshly grated horseradish is very strong, and if you’re right over the grater, it can take your breath away and make you cry. It’s the crushing, grating or chopping that releases the intensely flavored oils of the root, along with that sinus-clearing aroma. Adding vinegar immediately stops this action; if you want mild horseradish, add vinegar as soon as you’ve grated as much as you intend to process. If you want really hot horseradish, wait 3 minutes before adding vinegar.
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the root, run it over a grater, then add 2 to 3 T. white vinegar and ½ t. salt for each cup of grated horseradish. If you choose to do this in a blender, add a bit of water and a couple of crushed ice cubes to the diced root, whirl to desired consistency, then add the vinegar and salt.
As I mentioned, the longer you wait to add the vinegar (up to 3 min.), the hotter the horseradish will be. Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator or freezer and drain off any liquid when using the horseradish.
Use your homemade, fresh horseradish in dips, slaw, dressings, sauces, drinks (Bloody Horse); use it anytime you feel a dish needs something to perk it up, give it some zip or a bit of heat, and don’t hesitate to grate a few shavings directly into a venison stew or pot roast, or over the top of that beautiful salmon fillet you just took off the grill.
Ugly, yes; powerfully odoriferous, yes; but, oh, such a thing of beauty when put to use in your kitchen.
RECIPES
Let’s begin with a simple horseradish sauce that’s good to go with just about anything but ice cream or chocolate (although there are recipes for chocolate sauce with a touch of horseradish for zing). We’re having salmon patties for dinner tonight, and this sauce will be over the patties as well as served on the side to go with our potatoes, if desired. We’ll also be having coleslaw with a lemon/mayo/horseradish dressing.
HORSERADISH SAUCE
2 T. freshly grated horseradish
1 T. cider vinegar
½ t. fresh lemon juice (optional if you don’t have lemons on hand; don’t use bottled)
1 t. dry mustard
3 T. mayonnaise (reduced fat is OK)
1/8 t. ground red pepper (optional if you think it’s already hot enough)
½ cup sour cream (nonfat is OK)
Whip all ingredients together, or lightly blend in blender. Use over steamed fresh vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, etc., or lightly drizzled on salmon or over pork tenderloin, or wherever you want a bit of zip with your meal. Keep unused sauce refrigerated.
HORSERADISH BISCUITS
2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup fresh finely grated horseradish, or prepared horseradish, drained of any liquid
1 T, Italian seasoning
1 t. onion powder
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Thoroughly mix together all ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 min., or until golden brown. Serve hot.
CHEDDAR HORSERADISH SOUP
3 T. butter
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 leeks, washed, trimmed and diced
Pinch of cayenne (to taste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 T. flour
2 T. dry mustard
1 bottle beer (I use amber ale or a light lager)
1/4 cup fresh finely grated horseradish
3 cups water
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
2 cups half and half
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Snipped chives or parsley/cilantro, or fresh basil, for garnish
In a soup pot or large saucepan over med. heat, melt the butter. Add carrots and leeks; saute’ 2-3 min. or until softened. Add the cayenne, salt and pepper, flour and dry mustard. Cook the mixture 2 min., stirring. Add the beer, stirring constantly; add horseradish, water, Worcestershire and allow mixture to simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally. Whisk in half and half and cheddar and when mixture is warm and cheese is melted, serve immediately, garnished with chives or parsley or basil. Serves 4-6.
And another great soup, this one chilled and perfect for summer, a kicked up version of Vichyssoise.
SUMMER POTATO LEEK HORSERADISH SOUP
3 leeks, cleaned and sliced
1 onion, diced
2 T. butter
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups cream or half and half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Dash of nutmeg
3 oz. fresh (finely grated) or prepared horseradish
Julienned smoked ham; strips of smoked salmon, a dollop of caviar; snipped fresh dill; garlic croutons; use your imagination for other possible garnishes to go on top.
In a soup pot over med. heat, melt the butter. Saute the leek and onion in the butter until softened. Add the potatoes and chicken stock; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 min. Puree mixture in batches in a blender and put mixture in a bowl.
Add cream or half and half, salt and pepper, nutmeg and horseradish, stirring to blend well. Place bowl in an ice bath and refrigerate until very cold. Serve in chilled bowls, with any of the suggested garnishes or your own creation. Excellent with a tossed salad and horseradish biscuits. Serves 4-6.
