Horseradish root is now available at supermarkets all over the country. This tough woody tuber was once a staple of colonial kitchens in the US -- a tang of spice when spices from Asia were still prohibitively expensive, and a taste for hot peppers had not developed in the bland European-drawn cuisine of the eastern seaboard.
Yet, if you go to the reproduction gardens of Williamsburg or old mansions from New England to the south, you will find the proud bushy horseradish -- not one plant, but in rows -- it was that popular!
To choose a good root, look for one that is evenly hard, and doesn't feel mushy at any point, with few blemishes. The roots will feel a little light-weight, almost like balsa -- that's ok. They are very stiff, and very spongy at the same time.
The rule for horseradish is this: grate the root, add salt and sour to taste, moderate it if you wish -- and eat soon!
Be prepared to suffer for your art. The entire room where horseradish is grated can become filled with the pungency of the roots so that people walking into your kitchen will weep and flee!
To grate the root, use the finest grate that you can. I am currently without a food processor so I use either a ginger grater, or the finest wheel on my mouli, but you could use any sort of grater you'd use for a very hard cheese. If the "strings" of the grated root are too long, mince with a good knife. Try to preserve any juice, but most roots are a little dry and woody, and won't juice much while grating. Only grate as much as you need -- the root will keep for a week or so in the fridge -- more under good conditions (keep like cut ginger root) -- but the compounded root loses it's early fire quickly!
Put whatever quantity of horseradish in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt per tablespoon of grated root.
Wet -- don't douse -- with sour. This might include any kind of vinegar, tamarind, citrus, or wine. One of my favorites is 2/3 rice vinegar and 1/3 sake. If you like sweet, you can use mirin or sherry -- or add a pinch of sugar.
The horseradish will weep out it's juice with any addition of salt and liquid. Cover it tightly (I will set it with a bit of plastic on the grated root itself) and refrigerate for perhaps 15-30 minutes to allow the root to weep and the flavor to develop.
Now taste, and adjust the seasoning. If you want a finer texture, this is the time to whiz it in a spice or coffee grinder (wash well!).
If you want a creamed horseradish, this is the time to add the moderating "cream." My favorite option here is labneh, a thick cultured yoghurt more like sour cream. Sour cream or cream cheese are also a good base. Remember the high acid content -- don't try using an uncultured milk/cream!
Horseradish's flavor is a water based scent. It will not survive long, over time, especially if not sealed well. Store any horseradish mixture in an airtight container with as litte free air as possible in the container, or the bouquet will go to fumes.
Use horseradish on fatty meats, such as pot roast or corned beef. Use a creamed horseradish, diluted in oil and vinegar or in yoghurt, on salads as a creamy dressing -- tarragon is good complementary herb. Mince parsley and mix with creamed horseradish, and use it on roast pork. Serve with sausages or gefilte fish.
Sometimes you will end up with the roots gone, but a remainder of horseradish vinegar in your container. Be brave! Make horseradish sorbet to cleanse palate and sinuses between courses. It must be tasted to be believed!
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Comments: 11
Use creamed horseradish in mashed potatoes. If you're vegan, cream horseradish with silken tofu and mix with veggie spice/broth mix for a little extra flavor -- use as salad dressing or a dip for chips or raw baby or cut veggies.
The affinity, really, of horseradish is to rich protien tastes -- fried tempeh, a dish of black beans, boiled edamame sprinkled with horseradish vinegar and salt.
Soups, too.
Put a little dab of grated horseradish in the middle of a tablespoon pool of sherry to garnish an "orange" creamed vegetable soup -- cream of kabocha squash (very rich and chestnut-y) or carrot bisque.
In fact, almost any soup you might experiment with ginger might do well with a little horseradish. Play!
I use the ground horseradish with vinegar as a condiment on veggie burgers and on gefilte fish, which I don't have very often. That's about all.