Quick and Easy Dips for Super Game Day!

Here are two perfect dips to use with hot wings, chips, pretzels and fruit.  No mater what you are serving at your Super Game Day you can use these dips to add that extra special touch.

Ginger Lime Dip

½ cup mayo

½ cup sour cream

2 tsp grated lime peel

1 Tbls lime juice

1 Tbls. Honey

½ tsp ground ginger

Stir all ingredients until well mixed.  Cover and chill.  Serve with fruit of hot wings.  Makes 1 cup.

Bacon Horseradish Dip

1 cup mayo

1 cup sour cream

¼ cup real bacon bits

1 Tbls BYP Horsey Dip or Horseradish Spread

Stir all ingredients until well mixed.  Cover and chill.  Makes 2 cups.

Weekend Recipe - Butter with Horseradish and Mustard

July 4th is just around the corner.  Will you be grilling out?  This recipe will put some zip into any burger, beef, turkey or veggie!

Horseradish and Mustard Butter

Do you like butter on cooking steak?  Then this butter will be just what you want to try.  The flavor of horseradish with mustard will be good on beef, chicken and pork.  Experiment and enjoy!

2 ¼ sticks softened butter

2 tablespoons horseradish cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Place softened butter in medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients; mix until well combined. Place butter mixture on a piece of plastic wrap about 8 in. long. Roll mixture into a log about 2 inches in diameter; wrap tightly. Chill until required.

Formed into a log and wrapped in plastic wrap, butters like this will keep for up to 1 month in the freezer and up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Allow to soften slightly at room temperature before slicing into rounds. You can halve the quantities given here, if preferred.

If you love herbal butters, the Backyard Patch makes a selection of different blends crafted especially to blend into butter.  You can find them all here.  We even make one with horseradish!

Manly Horseradish Spread - Weekend Recipe

Happy Father's Day Weekend!  Here is a recipe to make my dad proud. As a bagel spread for a brunch or as a sandwich spread for roast beef this is a unique combination of horseradish and beets that makes a great condiment.  You do have to make this and serve it immediately.  Leftovers will only keep for 3 days.

8 ounces package cream cheese, softened

1 Tbls. tarragon vinegar

¼ cup canned or cooked beets, mashed

½ tsp. ground black pepper

2 Tbls. prepared horseradish

In a mixing bowl, whip cream cheese and vinegar with handheld mixer about 1 minute or until creamy.  Gently fold in beets, pepper and horseradish and stir until combined.  Spoon mixture into a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Recipes for Easter and Bitter Herbs

This week for Christians is called Holy week as they celebrate the trials of Jesus leading to his death and resurrection on Easter Sunday.  This is also the week of the Jewish holiday Passover, which marks the exodus from Egypt.  I found an herb connection to these traditions which made it worth mentioning these sacred and important rituals here.

There are a number of things done in celebration that sets theses days apart from the rest of the year.   My family traditions are decidedly Anglo-Saxon and Catholic so a big part of our celebration was Hot Cross Buns. The tradition allegedly is derived from ancient Anglo-Saxons who baked small wheat cakes in honor of the springtime goddess, Eostre. After converting to Christianity, the church substituted the cakes with sweetbreads blessed by the church

Hot Cross Buns are a traditional favorite for Good Friday, Easter, and throughout the Lent season, but they are enjoyable year-round. Yeasty rolls are filled with currants or raisins and nuts, then topped with a cross of icing. In spite of the raisins and icing, these are not sweet rolls but rather have a more savory taste. The hazelnuts are optional.

Countries around the world serve sweet cakes in the same vein, such as Czech babobka and Polish baba. The Greeks and Portuguese serve round, flat loaves marked with a cross and decorated with Easter eggs. Syrian and Jordanian Christians have honey pastries.



Stuffed Ham (see recipe below)



American Traditions

In the United States, ham is a traditional Easter food. In the early days, meat was slaughtered in the fall. There was no refrigeration, and the fresh pork that wasn't consumed during the winter months before Lent was cured for spring. The curing process took a long time, and the first hams were ready around the time Easter rolled around. Thus, ham was a natural choice for the celebratory Easter dinner.

Polish Traditions

The polish tradition of Food Blessing occurs.  Called Swieconka it is one of the most enduring and beloved Polish traditions. On Saturday people take to churches decorated baskets containing a sampling of traditional food to be blessed: hard-boiled shelled eggs, ham, sausage, salt, horseradish, fruits, bread and cake. Prominently displayed among these is the Easter lamb, usually molded from butter and colorful pisanki (richly decorated Easter eggs)
Common foods brought for blessing include: eggs, bread, butter lamb, salt, horseradish, ham, and sausage.  The food blessed in the church remains untouched until Sunday morning.

Jewish Passover

Among the Jewish faith they eat matza, the unleavened bread that was eaten instead of regular leavened bread to remind them of the speedy exit from slavery.  There wasn’t time to let it rise in the haste to leave.

They are also called to eat bitter herbs during this holiday as a reminder of the bitterness of slavery.    Horseradish is the first choice for bitter herb at sedar meals.  My friends take the time to chop a large root in their kitchen for use with the sedar feast.  My friend says it is much simpler now using a modern food processor that the task was growing up when it was chopped by hand, the odor of the horseradish stinging her eyes.   Use of this herb dates all the way back to the Egyptian Kingdoms, a good 3500 years ago.

I’ve read that the Greeks used horseradish as an aphrodisiac but it wasn’t clear to me exactly
how: did they take it orally or somehow use it topically?

The custom of eating horseradish as a condiment spread to Europe during the Renaissance and to England in the mid 1600s. By late in the century the English were solidly in the habit of eating horseradish with many of their meals, in particular beef and oysters.  English settlers brought the root with them to North America and by 1840 it grew wild around Boston.

When we hear a root or food described as bitter tasting, we know this is due to the presence of a large chemical group known as alkaloids.  These kinds of chemicals are made by plants and are distinguished because they contain nitrogen. Many alkaloids have very strong pharmacologic effects in people.  Examples of some  alkaloids that are used as drugs include cocaine, nicotine, strychnine, piperine, caffeine, morphine, pilocarpine, atropine, methamphetamine, mescaline, ephedrine, and tryptamine. Alkaloid containing plants stand out because they taste nasty.

If you are interested in making this Bitter Herb for your sedar, check out my blog posts for Horseradish (part 1 & part 2) that gives you all the steps.

Happy Easter from Marcy & the Backyard Patch

Recipes Mentioned

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:
3-3/4 to 4-1/4 cups all-purpose flou

1 package active dry yeast

1 teaspoon Backyard Patch Cinnful Dessert Blend

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup cooking oil

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

2/3 cup currants or raisins

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (filberts) (optional)

1 slightly beaten egg white

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur or milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Milk

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl combine 1-1/2 cups of the flour, yeast, and Cinnful Dessert Blend (you can substitute cinnamon.)  In a small saucepan heat and stir 3/4 cup milk, the oil, granulated sugar, and salt until warm (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F). Add to flour mixture along with whole eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.

Using a spoon, stir in currants or raisins, hazelnuts (if desired), and as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a wooden spoon. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover and let rise until nearly double (about 1-1/2 hours).

Punch dough down. Turn out onto a floured surface. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into 20 portions; shape each portion into a smooth ball. Place balls 1-1/2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until nearly double (30 to 45 minutes). With a sharp knife, make a shallow crisscross slash across each bun. Brush with egg white. Bake in a 375-degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl combine sifted powdered sugar, hazelnuts liqueur or milk, and vanilla. Stir in milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches drizzling consistency. Drizzle buns with icing (usually in a cross shape.)  Serve warm.

Stuffed Ham

Ingredients

3 large green cabbages, cored and fine chop
3 pounds kale, fine chop
4 lbs. onions, fine chop
4 ribs celery, fine chop
2 Tbsp. cayenne or crushed red pepper (We used N’orleans Seasoning from the Backyard Patch)
1 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. mustard seed
1 Tbsp. salt
1 corned bone-in ham (about 22 pounds, give or take)

Directions

Mix together all ingredients except ham.
Cut an "X" measuring 1 inch square and 2 inches deep on underside of ham. Fill "X" with stuffing until no more will fit. Continue cutting "X's" about 1/2 to 1 inch apart all over ham, stuffing them as they are cut.
Center ham on a 4-foot long piece of double-thickness cheesecloth and place any remaining stuffing on top of ham. Wrap cheesecloth around ham and tie ends together to hold stuffing in place.
Place ham in a large stockpot and add enough water to cover. Place lid on pot and bring liquid to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook ham for 20-25 minutes per pound of ham or till internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, adding water as needed to keep ham covered.
Remove pot from heat and allow ham to cool for an hour in the cooking broth.
Transfer ham to a large colander or a rack to drain for about 1 hour.
Remove and discard cheesecloth and place any extra vegetable stuffing on top of ham in a serving dish.
To serve, slice ham and accompany with vegetable stuffing.

Herb of the Week and Year -- Horseradish, part 2

The International Herb Association and the National Herb Society announced that Horseradish will be the 2011 Herb of the Year.  There is much unknown about Horseradish (which many people shy away from because if its strong flavor,) so I decided to dedicate two weeks to discussing its use, growth and helpful properties.

This is week two of  Herb of the Week -- Horseradish!

History, part 2

Last week I gave a brief history of the plant, this time I will share a few more historical tidbits.Click here to read last week's post.

Horseradish has been cultivated since antiquity. According to Greek mythology, the Delphic Oracle told Apollo that the horseradish was worth its weight in gold. Horseradish was 0known in Egypt in 1500 BC. Dioscordes listed horseradish under Thlaspi or Persicon; Cato discusses the plant in his treatises on agriculture, and a mural in Pompeii showing the plant has survived until today. Horseradish is probably the plant mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History under the name of Amoracia, and recommended by him for its medicinal qualities, and possibly the Wild Radish, or raphanos agrios of the Greek. The early Renaissance herbalist John Gerard showed it under Raphanus.

Both root and leaves were used as a medicine during the Middle Ages and the root was used as a condiment on meats in Germany, Scandinavia, and Britain. It was taken to North America during Colonial times.

William Turner mentions horseradish as Red Cole in his "Herbal" (1551–1568), but not as a condiment. In "The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes" (1597), John Gerard describes it under the name of raphanus rusticanus, stating that it occurs wild in several parts of England. After referring to its medicinal uses, he says: "the Horse Radish stamped with a little vinegar put thereto, is commonly used among the Germans for sauce to eat fish with and such like meates as we do mustarde."

Where the English name horseradish comes from is not certain. It may derive by misinterpretation of the German Meerrettich as mare radish. Some think it is because of the coarseness of the root. In Europe the common version is that it refers to the old method of processing the root called "hoofing". Horses were used to stamp the root tender before grating it.

Culinary Uses, part 2

Prepared horseradish is the grated root mixed with vinegar.  Horseradish sauce is made by blending the prepared horseradish with cream or mayonnaise. In the USA, prepared horseradish is a common ingredient in Bloody Mary cocktails and in cocktail sauce for seafood.  It is also used as a sauce or spread on meat, chicken, and fish, and in sandwiches.  Last week (to see the other post click here) I explained how to prepare Horseradish, this week I thought I would mention some special places Horseradish is used with food.

In Middle and Eastern Europe horseradish is called khreyn (in various spellings) in many Slavic languages, in German in Austria and parts of Germany, and in Yiddish. There are two varieties of khreyn. "Red" khreyn is mixed with red beet (beetroot) and "white" khreyn contains no beet. It is popular in Ukraine (under the name of хрін, khrin), in Poland (under the name of chrzan).

Having this on the Easter table is a part of Christian Easter and Jewish Passover tradition in Eastern and Central Europe.  In Ashkanazi European Jewish cooking beet horseradish is commonly served with Gefilte fish. Red beet with horseradish is also used as a salad served with lamb dishes at Easter in Romanian regions.

Horseradish (often grated and mixed with cream, hard-boiled eggs, or apples) is also a traditional Easter dish in Slovenia and in the adjacent Italian regions.

Even in Japan, horseradish dyed green is often substituted for the more expensive wasabi traditionally served with sushi. The Japanese botanical name for horseradish is seiyōwasabi or "Western wasabi".

Medicinal uses

Horseradish contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, along with volatile oils, such as mustard oil (which has antibacterial properties.) Fresh, the plant contains average 79.31 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of raw horseradish.

Known to have diuretic properties, the roots have been used to treat various minor health problems, including urinary tract infections, bronchitis, sinus congestion, ingrown toenails and coughs. Compounds found in horseradish have been found to kill some bacterial strains.  It is currently being used in microbiology as a way of preserving study slides.

If you don't have access to a garden plant, you can often find the roots at markets such as Whole Foods. Homemade prepared horseradish is about twice as strong as store-bought versions, and lasts about 4 to 6 weeks in the refrigerator.

Recipes to Try

 (I went a bit overboard but worth scrolling all the way to the bottom for the sauces)

Bloody Mary on Horseback
1 oz. Vodka
Lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. grated or prepared Horseradish
1 tsp. A-1 sauce
Lime wedge
Celery seed
Ice
Tomato juice
Garnish

Directions:
Place ice in a shaker, sprinkle lemon pepper, celery seed, horseradish (use more if more heat is desired), A-1 sauce and vodka over the ice. Fill with chilled tomato juice, shake vigorously to blend and pour into a chilled mug. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and garnish with celery stick, chilled cooked shrimp, pickled mushroom or whatever you desire.

Horseradish Potato Salad

Serves: 6

Fennel, horseradish, and mustard lend interesting flavors to red potato salad tossed in a creamy vinaigrette. Plan on 1 hour refrigeration time.

2 pounds red new potatoes, cut into eighths

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons sour cream

1-1/2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard

1-1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish or horseradish sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 pounds fresh fennel or celery, trimmed and diced (about 3 cups)

1/2 bunch green onions (about 3), trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions:

Cook potatoes in boiling lightly salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; refrigerate 1 hour.  Whisk olive oil, wine vinegar, garlic, sour cream, mustard, horseradish, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  When potatoes are cool, add dressing along with fennel and green onions. Toss to combine.

 

Potato Cakes and Horse Radish

Serves 4 to 6

Fresh horseradish gives extra zing to potato cakes seasoned with chives and served with sour cream. These are not overly spicy because the cooking process mellows out the horseradish.

3 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean

1 medium onion, grated

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 Tbls. finely grated fresh horseradish (use a microplane for better consistence and less clean up)

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1/4 cup chopped fresh chopped chives

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

6 Tbls. vegetable or olive oil

2 Tbls. butter

Salt to taste

Sour cream for accompaniment

Directions:

Boil whole potatoes for 5 minutes. Let cool, peel, and coarsely grate. Toss grated potatoes, onions, and flour in a large bowl to mix well. Stir in eggs, horseradish, lemon zest, chives, salt, and pepper until well-combined.  Heat olive oil and butter in a large, heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of mixture into the hot oil for each cake. Fry about 4 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Drain on paper towels. (You will need to fry the potato pancakes in batches.)  Season cakes with additional salt, if desired, and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

 

Buttered Horseradish Mostly Mashed Potatoes
Serves: 4- 6

4 Lg. Yukon Gold potatoes, skins on and cut into bite sized chunks
4 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
4 Tbsp. sour cream
1/3  cup milk
5 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. each of:  onion powder, garlic powder and dried onion
½ Tbsp. oregano
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Place potatoes in water and boil until soft.  Drain.  Place in large mixing bowl.  Add all other ingredients.  Mash contents in bowl together with masher or heavy duty mixer until well combined and potatoes are mostly mashed.  For even better version: top with cheddar cheese and put until hot broiler until cheese starts to bubble.

Flat Horse Chicken

Serves: 4 to 6

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or cutlets or boneless, skinless thighs)
2 Tbsp. white prepared horseradish
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. orange juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 more Tbsp. of unsalted butter (very cold)
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
Pound the chicken to ¼-inch in thickness.  Season with salt and pepper.  Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in a frying pan large enough to hold all the chicken.  Add the olive oil.  Sauté chicken on medium high heat on both sides, 3 minutes per side.  Remove from frying pan and place on a serving dish.  To the frying pan, add orange juice, balsamic vinegar and horseradish and turn the heat up till sauce bubbles.  Turn the heat down to medium and add the very cold butter.  Stir constantly till the sauce becomes velvety.  Return the chicken to the pan to heat, about 2 minutes per side. 

Great Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground chuck (or a combination of beef and pork)
2 egg whites (slightly beaten)
1 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. milk
2 tsp. prepared horseradish or horseradish sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 c. ketchup

Directions:
Combine all ingredients but meat in a medium bowl.  Then add bread crumb mixture to mean and mix thoroughly (using hands works best.)  Form into a loaf.  Bake in foil-line loaf pan in oven at 350 degrees for one hour. You can substitute ground turkey/chicken for ground meat or use skim milk instead of whole milk.

Ham and Horseradish Stromboli
Serves: 4-6

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed and risen
¼  lb. Deli ham
¼  lb. Swiss cheese
3 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Prepared Horseradish
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, roll loaf into a 20" by 8" rectangle. Place the rectangle on a greased baking sheet. Combine mayonnaise and horseradish and spread in a strip down the center of the rectangle. Layer on ham and Swiss cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Fold long sides of dough up towards filling and pinch ends to seal. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Horseradish Crusted Salmon
Serves: 4

4 6-9 oz. Salmon fillets, no skin
1/2 cup freshly grated horseradish
12 Small Red bliss potatoes
8 Broccoli spears
2 Medium Sprigs of rosemary

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil, lightly salt the water. Boil potatoes until tender. Remove. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and blanch broccoli. Shock in ice water. Reserve. Mince rosemary leaves, not stems. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Top each salmon fillet with freshly grated horseradish. In a hot sauté pan, sauté both sides of salmon, starting with the horseradish side down first. Transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet and cook in a 350º preheated oven until done, approximately 10 minutes. While salmon is resting, place potatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet, season potatoes with butter, minced rosemary and salt and pepper. Bake for a few minutes to heat up and melt butter. Cook broccoli in boiling water until tender. On a warm plate, arrange 3 potatoes and broccoli in the center. Place the warm salmon on top with horseradish facing up.

Horseradish Sauce for Meat

Makes 1 2/3 cups

This heavenly horseradish sauce goes great with roasted fish, beef, and chicken.

1/4 cup drained prepared horseradish

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon heavy cream

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 egg yolks

1 Tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep warm.

To make the horseradish puree: Place the horseradish, vinegar, and cream in a blender. Puree until smooth, stopping from time to time to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Scrape into a bowl and reserve.  

Place the egg yolks in a slightly larger non-reactive saucepan. Whisk in the water and the salt. Place over medium-low heat. Slowly pour the warm butter into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. After all the butter has been incorporated, continue whisking approximately 3 to 5 minutes over the heat, until the sauce is light and fluffy and has almost doubled in volume. Remove from heat and continue whisking until the sauce is skin temperature.

Whisk in the reserved horseradish puree. Serve immediately. Good with roasted fish, beef, and chicken.

Creamed Horseradish Sauce Dip

Makes ¾ cup

For me, creamed horseradish sauce is a must with prime rib or any rare roast beef. If you don't like your horseradish too hot, make the sauce a couple of days in advance and refrigerate. Horseradish loses its punch with age. Prepared bottled horseradish doesn't work as well due to the vinegar. This version is a copycat version of the tiger dill sauce served at Outback Steakhouse restaurants.

1/2 cup fresh grated horseradish

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dill weed

Directions:

Place grated horseradish, heavy cream, and salt into the bowl of a small food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until thickened to the consistency of stiff whipped cream. (Do not over-beat or you will end up with butter.)  Scrape into a bowl and fold in dill weed. Refrigerate at least two hours or overnight to let flavors meld. 

If you want to make a quick spread or dip, the Backyard Patch has two herb mixes you can try!  Click here to view them.

Herb of the Week and Year - Horseradish, part 1

International Herb Association and the National Herb Society have announced the Horseradish will be the 2011 Herb of the Year. They recommend that everyone try to grow or use this wonderful herb!  Many people know little about this unique and strongly flavorful herb, so I decided to dedicate two weeks to discussing its use, growth and helpful properties.

This week's Herb of the Week is Horseradish!

People either love horseradish or they hate it. One bite of pungent prepared horseradish is enough to clear out anyone's sinuses. Hotter than the popular Japanese version of wasabi, horseradish is easy to grow and easy to prepare.

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana, syn. Cochlearia armoracia) is a perennial plant of the Brassicacae family, which also includes mustard, wasabi, broccoli, and cabbages. The plant is probably native to southeastern Europe and western Asia, but is popular around the world today. It grows up to five feet tall and is mainly cultivated for its large white, tapered root.

The intact horseradish root has hardly any aroma. When cut or grated, however, enzymes from the damaged plant cells break down to produce mustard oil, which irritates the sinuses and eyes. Once grated, if not used immediately or mixed in vinegar, the root darkens and loses its pungency and becomes unpleasantly bitter when exposed to air and heat.

How to Grow

Horseradish is perennial in hardiness zones 2–9 and can be grown as an annual in other zones, though not as successfully as in zones with both a long growing season and winter temperatures cold enough to ensure plant dormancy.  

Buy plants or roots at the nursery (horseradish is rarely grown from seed) for planting after the last frost in spring.  Choose a site for location rather than growing conditions - a spot far removed from any other plants you care about. Left to its own devices, horseradish will stampede through your garden. But it will grow in any circumstances except deep shade or constant wetness. 

Ensure the straightest, plumpest roots by tilling the soil to at least 12 inches, amending it with plenty of compost and removing all rocks and other obstructions.  Set plants or roots 9 to 18 inches apart, with the crown (the top of the root and the start of the top growth) about 4 inches below the soil surface, and water thoroughly.  Mulch to retain moisture and discourage weeds if you want to, but it's not necessary - horseradish thrives on neglect.  Dig horseradish roots anytime from midsummer on, but for best flavor wait until after the first frosts.

Commercial production

Although grown in many regions of the world, Collinsville, Illinois, is the self-proclaimed "Horseradish Capital of the World" and hosts an annual International Horseradish Festival each June. Collinsville produces 60%, and the surrounding area of southwestern Illinois 25% of the world's commercially grown horseradish. Other major US growing regions include Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Tylelakem, California. Apart from these US areas, horseradish is also produced in Europe and South Australia.

Pests and diseases

Widely introduced by accident, "cabbageworms", the larvae of Artogeia rapae, the Small White Butterfly, are a common caterpillar pest in horseradish. The adults are white butterflies with black spots on the forewings that are commonly seen flying around plants during the day. The caterpillars are velvety green with faint yellow stripes running lengthwise down the back and sides. Full grown caterpillars are about 1 inch in length. They move sluggishly when prodded. They overwinter in green pupal cases. Adults start appearing in gardens after the last frost and are a problem through the remainder of the growing season. There are 3 to 5 overlapping generations a year. Mature caterpillars chew large, ragged holes in the leaves leaving the large veins intact. Handpicking is an effective control strategy.

To Use

After the first frost in the autumn kills the leaves, the root is dug and divided. The main root is harvested and one or more large offshoots of the main root are replanted to produce next year's crop. Horseradish left undisturbed in the garden spreads via underground shoots and can become invasive. Older roots left in the ground become woody, after which they are no longer useful for cooking, although these older plants can be dug and divided to start new plants.

Culinary Uses

Cooks use the terms "horseradish" or "prepared horseradish" to refer to the grated root of the horseradish plant mixed with vinegar. Prepared horseradish is white to creamy-beige in color. It will keep for months refrigerated but eventually will start to darken, indicating it is losing flavor and should be replaced. The leaves of the plant, while edible, are not commonly eaten, and are referred to as "horseradish greens".

Horseradish sauce made from grated horseradish root, vinegar and cream is a popular condiment in the United Kingdom. It is usually served with roast beef, often as part of a traditional Sunday roast, but can be used in a number of other dishes also, including sandwiches or salads. Also popular in the UK is Tewkesbury mustard, a blend of mustard and grated horseradish originally created in medieval times and mentioned by Shakespeare.

In the U.S., the term Horseradish Sauce refers to grated horseradish combined with mayonnaise or white salad dressing (like Miracle Whip). Most grocery stores sell this type of Horseradish Sauce.

How to make Prepared Horseradish

   8-10-inch long piece of horseradish root

   2 Tbsp. water

   1 Tbsp. white vinegar

   Pinch salt

Directions:

1.      If you have access to a garden horseradish plant, use a sturdy shovel to dig up an 8-10-inch long tuber of horseradish. (You can't pull it up.) The plant itself, once established, propagates with tubers, and is very hardy. Remove the leaves from the root and rinse the dirt off of the root.

2.      Use a vegetable peeler to peel the surface skin off of the tuber. You want to get off the brown parts.  Chop into pieces.

3.      Put into a food processor. Add a couple tablespoons of water. Process until well ground. At this point be careful. A ground up fresh horseradish is many times as potent as freshly chopped onions and can really hurt your eyes if you get too close. Keep at arms length away, and work in a well ventilated room (I actually go to the trouble of getting an extension cord and dragging all my tools outside to do this step so my house does not absorb the smells.)

4.      Strain out some of the water if the mixture is too liquidy. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to the mixture. Pulse to combine. Note that the vinegar will stabilize the level of hotness of the ground horseradish, so do not wait too long to add it to the mixture.

5.      Using a rubber spatula, carefully transfer the grated horseradish to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. It will keep for up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator. (I store mine upside down so no additional oxygen gets into the jar to help hold the flavor.) It can be frozen.

Horseradish Cooking Tips and Measures (many retrieved from Horseradish.org)

• Horseradish is best used freshly grated and raw.

• Scrub with a stiff brush and peel off the dark skin before using horseradish.

• In larger roots, the core may be fibrous and bitter. Remove and discard the core, along with any green spots.

• Horseradish is like the onion family -- the finer it is chopped or grated, the more pungent the flavor.

• Fold 1 Tablespoon fresh grated horseradish into stiffly-whipped heavy cream and salt to taste for a classic horseradish sauce to accompany beef dishes. Dill weed is also a tasty addition.

• Add 1 Tablespoon fresh grated horseradish to 1 cup applesauce for a piquant condiment to pork dishes. See below a recipe for Horseradish Apples.

• When serving horseradish, do not use silver. Horseradish will tarnish silver.

• If you grow your horseradish, the young, tender green leaves are edible in salads and may also be cooked.

• If you want to retain the spicy zing of horseradish in cooked dishes, add it at the end of the cooking process, after the dish has been removed from the heat.

   Horseradish Measures, Weights, and Substitutions

• 1 Tablespoon grated fresh horseradish = 2 Tbsp bottled prepared horseradish
• 2 Tablespoons prepared horseradish = 1 Tablespoon dried + 1 Tablespoon vinegar + 1 Tablespoon water + salt to taste
• 10 Tablespoons prepared horseradish = 6 Tablespoons dried powdered
• 1-1/2 pounds fresh root = 2-3/4 cups peeled and grated
• 1 8-ounce bottle prepared horseradish = 1 cup

Recipes (look for even more next week!)

Horseradish Butter

Use this as a spread on pork or beef sandwiches

8  Tbls.  (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2  Tbls. prepared horseradish

1/4  teaspoon  kosher salt

Directions:

Place the butter in a small bowl. Add the horseradish and salt and mash with a wooden spoon to combine. Chill the butter until needed, but allow it to come to room temperature before spreading.

Horseradish Salsa

The perfect spicy condiment to go with beef

1 jar (16-ounce) mild salsa

1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh parsley leaves, chopped

2 Tbls. prepared white horseradish

Directions:

In small bowl, mix salsa, parsley, and horseradish until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve or up to two days.

Horseradish Vinaigrette

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup horseradish sauce

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp. pepper

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, mustard, olive oil and black pepper. The dressing should come out a little creamy but not too thick.

Horseradish Apples

Naturally sweet from the apples with a bit of zing from the horseradish, this no-cook sauce is excellent served as a condiment for pork dishes.

4 Granny Smith apples

2 Tbls. cider vinegar

2 Tbls. fresh horseradish, grated

1 tsp. paprika

1 Tbls. white wine

Directions:

Grate the apples and moisten them with vinegar. Add the horseradish and paprika. Thin to the desired consistency with the wine. Yield: 1 pint

Horseradish Stuffed Roast Beef Serves 4-6

2 lb. Roast beef
Salt, pepper
2 Tbsp. Flour
4 Tbsp. Oil
4 Tbsp. Prepared horseradish
6 Tbsp. Sour cream
2 Eggs
3 Tbsp. Breadcrumbs
Sugar

Directions:
Rinse and dry roast. Rub with salt and pepper and coat with flour. Brown in hot oil in a Dutch oven. Add 1 Cup water and braise covered for 1 hour. Add more water as necessary. For filling, mix horseradish, sour cream, eggs and breadcrumbs. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Remove the roast from pan, let cool, cut in 1/2 inch slices nearly to the bottom. Spread filling between slices. Tie lengthwise with sting. Return meat to the Dutch oven and braise 15 minutes. Before serving, remove string and pour pan drippings over meat.

Come back next week when we will go a bit deeper into the history, provide a number of other recipes, and discuss the medicinal aspects of Horseradish. 

If you want to try a couple of dips and spreads with powdered horseradish, visit our eBay store