Grated horseradish. It’s enough to make a grown person cry.
A little dab of grated horseradish can clear your sinuses in a heartbeat. It may even burn the hairs right out of your nose.
Too much of a dose and you won’t be able to see through your tears or catch your breath.
Prepared horseradish is a mighty little natural condiment that can make roast beef or fish taste divine. It’s found in cocktail sauce, specialty mustards, dips, dressings, sauces and spreads.
Kick up an omelet or scrambled eggs with a teaspoon or so of horseradish. Some tasty recipes will come later.
WHAT IS IT AND WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
Horseradish is a perennial herb that is a member of the mustard family. It shares its lineage with kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and the common radish, and is cultivated for its thick, fleshy white roots. It is also grown as an ornamental plant.
The plant can grow to a height of five feet and is quite hardy. The roots can reach down two feet or more, and the plant can regenerate from the smallest particle of root.
Some might consider it an obnoxious weed. A dandelion would be quite envious.
Like so many things Americans eat, horseradish can trace its beginnings to Central Europe. It is thought to be native to southern Russia and the eastern Ukraine, but today is found throughout the temperate climates of the world.
Horseradish is thought to have been around for at least 3,000 years. The Egyptians knew about the herb as far back as 1500 B.C. It has been prized for its medicinal and gastronomic qualities for centuries.
Early Greeks used it as a rub for low back pain and as an aphrodisiac.
Jews still use it during Passover seders as one of the bitter herbs. It has long been used as a diuretic. Third World countries use it to purify their drinking water.
The name “horseradish” is thought to have originated from an English adaptation of its German name. Germans called the plant meerrettich, meaning “sea radish,” because it grew in the coastal areas. Meer sounds like “mare” in English. It’s a good bet that “mareradish” eventually became “horseradish.”
The word horseradish first appeared in print in 1597 in John Gerarde’s “The Herball” about medicinal plants.
During the Renaissance, horseradish consumption spread from Central Europe northward to Scandinavia, then westward to England. It wasn’t until 1640 that the British actually ate the root, but it was only country folk and laborers. By the late 1600s, everyone was using it as an accompaniment for beef and oysters.
Owners of inns and coach stations began growing it and using it in cordials to revive weary travelers.
Early German and Eastern European settlers brought horseradish to North America. It was common in the Northeast by the early 1800s, growing wild near Boston by 1840.
Immigrants began cultivating it on farms in the Midwest by the mid- 1850s. By the late 1890s, a thriving horseradish industry had developed in an area of fertile soil on the Mississippi River in Illinois. Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois are part of what is known as the American Bottoms. The soil is rich in potash, a nutrient on which horseradish thrives. Today, the area grows about two-thirds of the world’s supply.
As Castroville, Calif., does with artichokes and Gilroy, Calif., does with garlic, horseradish is feted every May at the International Horseradish Festival in Collinsville, Ill. The event began in 1988 to create national awareness for the herb.
Horseradish is grown on only about 3,000 acres in the United States. It is also grown in California, New Jersey, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The root is harvested in the spring and fall. It is available year-round in most markets, but prime season is in spring. It is grown primarily for the processing industry, and only a small percentage of the root is available for sale.
In the United States, an estimated 24 million pounds of horseradish roots are ground and processed annually to produce about 6 million gallons of prepared horseradish. That’s enough to generously season sandwiches that would reach around the Earth 12 times.
The first person to profit from making horseradish sauce was Henry J. Heinz. In 1853, the 9-year-old was grinding, bottling and selling his sauce. In 1872, he and partner L.C. Noble founded Heinz, Noble and Co. and began marketing his horseradish, followed by pickles, sauerkraut and vinegar.
After a banking panic forced him into bankruptcy, he restarted his business and began producing its most well-known product, tomato ketchup. In 1888, the company was reorganized and named H.J. Heinz Co.
WHAT MAKES IT HOT?
Horseradish is sneaky.
The root smells like the earth it was taken from. It gives no sign that it is capable of taking the top of your head right off. The pungent taste and aroma of horseradish comes from a substance called sinigrin, which is also found in the seeds of black mustard.
When the root is cut or grated, enzymes release a volatile oil containing sulfur. The enzymes and volatile oils that give horseradish its bite are the same as those in Chinese hot mustard. Vinegar stops this reaction and stabilizes the flavor.
WHAT DO I LOOK FOR?
If you like your horseradish really hot, use fresh roots. A good quality root is clean, firm and free of cuts, deep blemishes and mold. Older roots will appear to be shriveled and dry.
Generally, the whiter the root, the fresher it is. The freshly peeled or sliced root and the prepared product are creamy white. As processed horseradish ages, it darkens and loses it pungency and, in time, off-flavors may develop.
Buy only the amount you will use in a reasonable time. Keep in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator. It will keep its quality for about four to six months in the refrigerator and longer in the freezer.
Washed fresh roots may be stored for several months if they are placed in plastic bags and stored at 32 to 38 degrees. Don’t freeze the fresh roots.
Freshly processed horseradish may be found in the refrigerated dairy or meat cases in the grocery store. It is more likely to be higher quality than that on the condiment shelves.
In addition to the basic prepared horseradish, a number of other horseradish products are available, including cream-style prepared horseradish, horseradish sauce, beet horseradish and dehydrated horseradish.
IS IT HEALTHY?
High in sulfur and potassium, horseradish is also rich in vitamin C and calcium, but moderate in carbohydrates.
Medicinally, it has been used as a diaphoretic (something that makes you sweat), digestive aid, diuretic and stimulant. Horseradish has been used to stop bleeding, prevent scarring and cure stomach cramps.
Its vapors have long been known to open up respiratory passages during colds.
A stimulating massage oil to relieve muscular aches and pains or rubbed on the chest to help break up congestion can be made by steeping a small amount of freshly grated horseradish root in some cold-pressed oil of your choice, such as wheat germ, sesame or olive.
WHAT IS WASABI?
Japanese horseradish, or wasabi, is a totally different plant.
Wasabi has been cultivated for more than 1,000 years. It is grown in continuously running mountain streams in Japan and requires much hand labor.
It is prized by the Japanese as a flavoring for a number of foods. It is commonly mixed with soy sauce to make a dipping sauce for sushi and sashimi.
Although uniquely different in flavor from horseradish, it also has many similar flavor characteristics.
Because of the difficulty in producing wasabi and the great demand for it, a substitute has been developed in the United States that uses our horseradish to which synthetic flavor compounds and green food coloring has been added. Both wasabi and the substitute are marketed as a canned dry powder or frozen or fresh paste.
Today, two commercial producers on the West Coast make fresh wasabi and wasabi paste more accessible to North America. Pacific Farms in Florence, Ore., has been producing wasabi hydroponically since 1995. Pacific Coast Wasabi Ltd. in Vancouver, B.C., has found the climate ideal to grow fresh wasabi.
RECIPES
Homemade horseradish
1cup peeled and cubed fresh horseradish root (the whiter the root, the fresher it is)
3/4cup white distilled vinegar
2teaspoons sugar
1/4teaspoon salt
Start with enough cold water to cover the blades of a blender. Add several crushed ice cubes. If necessary, add more water or crushed ice to complete the grinding. Place horseradish cubes in a blender. Process no more than half a container full at a time.
Pour off excess water. Add the sugar and salt.
The time to add the vinegar is important. Vinegar stops the enzymatic action in the ground product and stabilizes the degree of hotness.
If you prefer milder horseradish, add the vinegar immediately. If you like the horseradish hot enough to swell your tongue, wait about three minutes before adding the vinegar.
Place the mixture in half-pint or smaller jars and screw the lids on firmly. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Note: When working with horseradish, it’s a good idea to wear gloves and be in a well-ventilated room. When crushed, the highly volatile oils are released. The fumes are potent and may be stronger than you expect.
Substituting lemon juice for vinegar will produce a slightly different flavor.
Makes about 11/4 cups.
Prime rib with horseradish crust and roasted garlic
30large garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/4cup olive oil
1/3cup prepared white cream-style horseradish
1/2teaspoon coarse salt
16-pound well-trimmed boneless beef rib roast
Beet, red onion and horseradish relish (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss garlic cloves and olive oil in small baking dish; cover. Bake until garlic begins to brown, about 35 minutes. Drain olive oil into processor. Cool 15 minutes. Peel garlic; place in processor. Add prepared horseradish and coarse salt. Puree until almost smooth.
Place rack on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Spread thin layer of garlic mixture on underside of beef. Place beef, garlic mixture side down, onto rack. Spread beef with remaining garlic mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 1 day.
Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Uncover beef. Roast until thermometer inserted into top center registers 125 degrees for rare, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Transfer beef to platter; let stand 30 minutes. Scrape pan juices into small saucepan.
Slice beef crosswise. Rewarm juices; drizzle over beef. Serve with beet, red onion and horseradish relish.
Makes 8 servings.
Beet, horseradish and red onion relish
321/2-inch-diameter beets, trimmed
1/2cup olive oil
3tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1teaspoon coarse salt
1/2teaspoon pepper
11/2cups chopped red onion
1/3cup prepared white cream-style horseradish
Start preparing this at least a day ahead so beets can marinate.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap beets in double thickness of foil. Roast beets on oven rack until tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Unwrap beets and cool.
Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in medium bowl until blended. Mix in onion and horseradish.
Peel beets; cut into 1/3-inch dice. Add to onion mixture. Cover and chill for one to four days.
Makes 4 cups.
Horseradish and chive smashed potatoes
3pounds white new potatoes
1/2cup (1 stick) butter
1tablespoon prepared horseradish
2teaspoons salt
1/2teaspoon white pepper
1cup sour cream
1-11/2 cups Half and Half
1/4cup chopped fresh chives
Bring potatoes to a boiling in enough water to cover. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
In a bowl, place the potatoes, butter, horseradish, salt and pepper. With a potato masher, mash until softened and butter is incorporated. Stir in the sour cream, Half and Half and chives. Taste for seasoning.
Place in prepared baking dish and heat at 350 degrees for 15 minutes just before serving. Can be made a day ahead. Reheating may take longer if potatoes are cold.
Serves 8 to 10.
Orange broccoli
110-ounce package frozen broccoli spears, thawed
1/4cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
1tablespoon water
1teaspoon prepared horseradish
1tablespoon red onion chopped finely
Pinch salt and pepper
Arrange broccoli in microwave-safe dish. Combine orange juice concentrate, water, horseradish, red onion and salt and pepper. Spoon over broccoli.
Cover with plastic and vent. Microwave at high, 3 minutes or until hot.
Makes 2 servings.
Roast beef wraps with horseradish slaw
410-inch fresh flour tortillas
1pound thinly sliced roast beef
27-ounce jars roasted red peppers, drained, sliced
1/2cup chopped green onions
Horseradish slaw (recipe follows)
Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla to skillet and heat until soft, about 1 minute per side; transfer to work surface. Repeat with second tortilla.
Spread 1/4 slaw mixture on each tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border at edges. Arrange beef, roasted peppers and green onions over slaw mixture. Starting at edge of tortilla begin to roll up, folding open ends toward center as you roll.
Slice the wraps in half to serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Horseradish slaw
2cups coleslaw
3tablespoons prepared horseradish
11/2teaspoons dried thyme
Combine all ingredients in small bowl to blend.
Makes 2 cups.
Cucumber and horseradish sauce
1/3 cup finely chopped cucumber
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or creamy salad dressing
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
In a small bowl combine cucumber, mayonnaise or salad dressing, yogurt and horseradish. Cover and chill until serving time.
Served with grilled salmon.
Makes 4 servings.
Horseradish applesauce
1cup applesauce
3-4tablespoons prepared horseradish
Stir together applesauce and horseradish. Serve with pork, ham or veal.
DID YOU KNOW?
* Horseradish is still planted and harvested mostly by hand.
* In the American South, horseradish was rubbed on the forehead to relieve headaches. Some folks still swear by it.
* Before being named horseradish, the plant was known as “recole” in England and as “stingnose” in some parts of America.
* Researchers at MIT claim that the enzyme horseradish perosidase removes a number of pollutants from wastewater.
* The most widely recognized horseradish fan in the world may be Dagwood Bumstead, who consumed it regularly in the popular comic strip “Blondie” by Dan Young and Stan Drake.
* Serve and store horseradish in a glass or ceramic container. It will tarnish silver.
* Germans still brew horseradish schnapps. Some also add it to their beer.
Sources: www.hungrymonster.com and the Horseradish Information Council
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