Relishing Fresh HorseradishVitamin C and more! Take a look into the world of the stuff usually found in the back of your refrigerator. by Mike Moore
Dig deep in your refrigerator and you'll probably find a long forgotten, half-used hexagonal bottle of prepared horseradish. As pungent as it may seem on first opening, the bottled varieties of this heavenly condiment bear as much resemblance to the fresh stuff, as powdered skim milk does to sweet cream.
When freshly grated, horseradish releases a bouquet sharp enough to clear the sinuses and burn the eyes. But on the tongue, fresh horseradish leaves no overpowering heat. There is a tender sweetness under the fire that makes horseradish a perfect foil for strong flavored meats, like pork, lamb or duck. Salmon flavored with dill stands up beautifully to a horseradish sauce, as does a simple baked potato or a hot roast beef sandwich with strong mustard.
Horseradish is the fleshy taproot of Armoracia rusticana -- a member of the mustard family. Botanically, it is not related to the salad radish (Raphanus sativus). Both words derive from the Latin radix, for root. The plant grows rather steadily throughout the summer, but the roots don't begin to fatten and to improve in flavor until after September. By the late fall, the roots are dug up.
Horseradish has been around a long time. According to legend, the Oracle at Delphi told Apollo the radish was worth its weight in lead, the beet its weight in silver, but horseradish its weight in gold. Horseradish is among the bitter herbs eaten at Passover, possibly including coriander, lettuce, horehound and nettles. The ancient Hebrews most likely ate the tender young leaves of the horseradish plant, not its pungent root. In ancient Rome, Pliny advised overindulgers to ingest horseradish, "as sharp as possible." Food historian Waverley Root wrote that some ancients ate copious amounts of horseradish in winter for its "warming qualities." The plant has long been used to fight colds; modern researchers have found that the root contains an antibiotic and is an excellent source of Vitamin C.
Elizabethan herbalist John Gerard wrote, "the Horse Radish stamped with a little vinegar put thereto is commonly used among the Germans for sauce to eat fishe with and such like meates as we do mustarde." The French called it "moutardes des allemandes," or German mustard. But by 1640, horseradish had hit the mainstream. Botanist John Parkinson noted that "Country people and strong labouring men" in England now ate horseradish, but that it was "too strong for tender and gentle stomaches."
In the United States, horseradish had been used since the Revolution. In her 1828 cookbook, "Directions for Cookery in its Various Branches," Eliza Leslie includes a recipe for horseradish vinegar. In 1861, Isabelle Beeton's "Book of Household Management" advises that a "stick of horseradish" is an essential condiment to take on a picnic.
Today, most supermarkets sell unpeeled fresh horseradish if you can't grow your own. And you can keep that for weeks if you store it in a cool, dark place. When the roots are stripped with a vegetable peeler, a small whiff comes forth, but it's not until horseradish is grated that its overwhelming aroma is released. Use a simple box grater to do the job. But a food processor is easier. Pass the root through the shredding disc to create julienne. Then replace the disc with the metal blade, add the horseradish and a few tablespoons of herbed vinegar and process until the horseradish is finely chopped. After you have grated horseradish, be careful. Don't put your nose directly into the bowl -- the smell can be overpowering and will burn your nostrils. It will last for months in the refrigerator, but the fresher it is, the better.
Relishing Fresh Horseradish
