Horseradish Around the World

[Malawry]

Last night, I attended a Passover seder at a friend's house. Some of the guests had never attended a seder before. When the gefilte fish went around, they gamely sampled it, but they were more interested in the beet-colored chrain (horseradish condiment) that accompanied it. One of them muttered about how much she loves wasabi as she helped herself to a big spoonful, which got the others excited. Seven of us managed to put away about half a jar.

I love the hot-bitter flavor of horseradish and especially love the beet-enhanced horseradish condiment that shows up on Passover tables around America. The wasabi comment got me wondering if there are other horseradish-like roots that I just don't think about which I can incorporate into my cookery. Also the chrain condiment is quite different from the British horseradish-cream sauce for roasted meats, and I'm sure there are other beloved condiments made from horseradish native to the European and American regions where the root is grown. What are they? What do you like to do with horseradish?

[KatieLoeb]

In Austria/Bavaria they grate a bit of fresh horseradish root (not the prepared stuff with vinegar) into applesauce and serve it on the side of Tafelspitz (Boiled Beef) or pork chops. VERY tasty!

[Mabelline]

Fresh horseradish with GOOD liverwurst and sliced onions is a truly pornographic food moment!!! And fresh horsey with shredded pork is so unctious it is unreal..

[Brad Ballinger]

Just this past weekend, I grated some horseradish root, mixed it with creme fraiche, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Served it atop grilled venison tenderloin cut into 1/4-inch thick medallions and served on toasted baguette rounds that had been rubbed with a garlic clove. Yummmmmy.

[Bombdog]

Just this past weekend, I grated some horseradish root, mixed it with creme fraiche, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

I like it JUST like that with an herb crusted prime rib!

[Mabelline]

Oooohh!

[markovitch]

I've made quite a hobby out of making my own mustards... anyone else done this?

i think i'm going to start a condiments thread.

[ludja]

Fresh horseradish with GOOD liverwurst and sliced onions is a truly pornographic food moment!!! And fresh horsey with shredded pork is so unctious it is unreal..

Amen.

Fresh grated horseradish is also good on the side with sliced Easter ham or in a sandwich (rye bread, please).

Also really like Apfelkren with Tafelspitz as Katie Loeb mentions above.

Looked in some of my Austrian cookbooks for others uses and found a few interesting ones I haven't tried:

Horseradish Soup (humble soup: milk, flour, saute horseradish in butter, swirl in cream)

Iced Horseradish (elegant accompaniement to meat: stir freshly grated horseradish into whipped cream, add a dash of lemon juice, vinegar, pinch of salt; chill in fridge or freeze into a soft mousse)

Rahmkren mit Eiern (Eggs with Horseradish Cream; chop hardboiled eggs, stir in sour cream and freshly grated horseradish; serve with sausages, smoked pork, grilled meat)

Roter Rubenkren (Beet and Horseradish Relish-- beets, apples, horseradish, s&p, pinch of sugar, wine vingegar, olive oil)

Mandelkren (Horseradish with Almonds; Whip cream with a pinch of confectioner's sugar; fold in ground almonds and freshly grated horseradish--chill or freeze and serve alongside boiled beef or roast pork)

Erdapfelkren (Potato and Horseradish Cream; Mash cooked potatoes and mix with beef broth, cream and butter. Stir in freshly grated horseradish with a little freshly ground nutmeg)

Preiselbeerkren (Cranberry Sauce with Horseradish; they have a small tart berry in Austria that is similar to cranberries (Preiselbeern-- cranberries, horseradish, mustard, salt, lemon juice, whip heavy cream and fold previous mix into it)

Thanks for starting this thread; I didin't know I had all these interesting horseradish recipes; I think I want to try them myself!

edited to add: a nice idea from Elizabeth David is to make a homemade mayonaise, fold in horseradish and parsely and serve over sliced tomatoes...

Edited April 7, 2004 by ludja (log)

[Mabelline]

My, oh my, the cranberry-horseradish sounds too good! I love any of the small, tart berries, so a horseradish blend sounds almost Oriental in its difference of taste sensations! Horseradish and fresh applesauce is sublime and simple...simple is good with the horsey!

[Mabelline]

I just remembered my step-grandpa's SOS. It was your standard recipe, but he added fresh grated horsey to the white sauce. Sour pickles on the side. Mhmmm, nostalgia heaven...

[paul o' vendange]

I, too, like to use it in crusts. The heating mutes a bit of the heat while preserving the wonderful flavor and piquancy. I make a horseradish crusted salmon, with a black pepper-cabernet sauce.

Paul

Edited April 7, 2004 by paul o' vendange (log)

[ludja]

I, too, like to use it in crusts. The heating mutes a bit of the heat while preserving the wonderful flavor and piquancy. I make a horseradish crusted salmon, with a black pepper-cabernet sauce.

Paul

Been interested in but never had a horseradish-encrusted fish---

Is the horseradish added to bread crumbs or is it part of a whipped egg white coating? Those seem to be the ways I've heard of itl

Sounds like a wonderful recipe!

[paul o' vendange]

Ludja - Initially, I used 2/3 grated horseradish to 1/3 bread crumbs, but found that I can probably push the flap even more, and have gone up to 100% horseradish and love it. The wash is a simple egg white wash for binding, pressing the fish after into a horseradish "dredge."

Cheers!

Paul

[spoonbread]

Love horseradish! I do like to mix fresh horseradish with bread crumbs, lemon zest, herbs and shredded parm cheese and coat on chicken. One interesting way to use it is to grate it and squeeze the excess juice out. Then let it dry on a sheet pan overnight. When it is crisp. no water, it kinda tastes like coconut, no heat. I use it like a garnish that way.

[KatieLoeb]

Preiselbeerkren (Cranberry Sauce with Horseradish; they have a small tart berry in Austria that is similar to cranberries (Preiselbeern-- cranberries, horseradish, mustard, salt, lemon juice, whip heavy cream and fold previous mix into it)

Ludja:

Are the Preiselbeeren also occasionally made into schnapps? I think I may have had this before. Also, is there such a thing as a preiselbeeren marmalade type of concoction that is served with game meats? I may have a jar of this in my pantry and not thought about it for ages. I've had a delicious Austrian/Bavarian small wild tart berry jam (not unlike a tiny cranberry. Could it have been preiselbeeren??) on the side of venison and it was awesome!

I've had horseradish mustard and I've had cranberry mustard. But Cranberry-Horseradish mustard might make me swoon

[bleudauvergne]

3 years now I've been searching for fresh horseradish in Lyon. We always had our oysters with it. An oyster is simply not complete without a little horseradish grated on it. All I can get is this rather insipid paste product. I have asked farmers, gone to import shops, etc. Nowhere.

[Episure]

Grated Horseradish Raita

Blend yoghurt and grated horseradish with salt and pepper. Serve as an accompaniment with crudites or chips.

[jsolomon]

3 years now I've been searching for fresh horseradish in Lyon. We always had our oysters with it. An oyster is simply not complete without a little horseradish grated on it. All I can get is this rather insipid paste product. I have asked farmers, gone to import shops, etc. Nowhere.

From my understanding, growing your own horseradish is dead simple... and hard to get rid of. It's kind of like mint or rhubarb. Once you get it started, it keeps going. Perhaps you want to try that?

[ludja]

From my understanding, growing your own horseradish is dead simple... and hard to get rid of. It's kind of like mint or rhubarb. Once you get it started, it keeps going. Perhaps you want to try that?

This is true; my mom had horseradish growing in her garden in CT and nothing could kill it.

Funny you should also mention the rhubarb; she had that growing next to the horseradish and both were on the end of the vegetable garden. They were so vigorous she was constantly having to prune them to keep them in their place!

[bleudauvergne]

3 years now I've been searching for fresh horseradish in Lyon.  We always had our oysters with it.  An oyster is simply not complete without a little horseradish grated on it.  All I can get is this rather insipid paste product.  I have asked farmers, gone to import shops, etc.  Nowhere. 

From my understanding, growing your own horseradish is dead simple... and hard to get rid of. It's kind of like mint or rhubarb. Once you get it started, it keeps going. Perhaps you want to try that?

Does it grow in window boxes?

[Toliver]

Does it grow in window boxes? 

Perhaps in really large window boxes.

Here's a picture of some horseradish.

Here's a picture of the plant itself.

So it looks like you'd need a deep and large window box in order to grow horseradish.

I'd suggest buying seeds and finding a farmer in the market who will grow it for you (with the caveat to the farmer that it spreads like wildfire).

[balmagowry]

I've had a delicious Austrian/Bavarian small wild tart berry jam (not unlike a tiny cranberry. Could it have been preiselbeeren??) on the side of venison and it was awesome!

Almost certainly Preiselbeeren; they are a classic accompaniment to Reh (farmed venison). Mmmmmmm... Reh mit Preiselbeeren... it's been too long.

On the horseradish front - who knew? I just found out we have a local Horseradish Festival! Infuriatingly, I didn't know about this until I read in today's paper that it had taken place yesterday :grrr: - but I'll be on the loookout for it next year. Have not grown horseradish myself, but my neighbor has a plant which has survived the demise of her other gardening projects. Hmmmm, maybe she'd like to arrange for it to go to a good home. I should ask her. At any rate, I should pull some for immediate use - all the recipes above are making me drool.

Mabelline, I know I'll feel like an idiot the moment you answer this: what's SOS? Oh, wait - Shit on a Shingle? Duh. Never mind. Sounds wonderful!

[Alex]

For Passover I grated some fresh horseradish using the food processor, then switched to the steel blade and processed it with lime peel and juice. It added a nice dimension to the gefilte fish.

I've made a sauce from pureed tomatoes, sour cream or creme fraiche, and freshly grated horseradish; it worked especially well with lamb.

[ludja]

Ludja:

Are the Preiselbeeren also occasionally made into schnapps?  I think I may have had this before.  Also, is there such a thing as a preiselbeeren marmalade type of concoction that is served with game meats?  I may have a jar of this in my pantry and not thought about it for ages.  I've had a delicious Austrian/Bavarian small wild tart berry jam (not unlike a tiny cranberry. Could it have been preiselbeeren??) on the side of venison and it was awesome!

I've had horseradish mustard and I've had cranberry mustard.  But Cranberry-Horseradish mustard might make me swoon 

I've always known they are similar to lingonberries (from Sweden) but did a little searching on the web to find out that Preiselbeeren are indeed the same as Lingonberries and a few other names...

Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., Ericaceae. English.: Cowberry, Lingonberry, Foxberry, Lowbush Cranberry, Mountain Cranberry, Partridgeberry, Red Bilberry, Rock Cranberry. Deutsch.:Preiselbeere Bickelbeere, Fuchsbeere, Grantel, Kronsbeere, Mehlbeere, Rauschbeere, Sauerbeere, Steinbeere, Wilder Busch. Suom.: puolukka. Sven.: lingon, kröson.

They are related to cranberries but are smaller in size and somewhat less tart.

Here's a photo of them growing: click

I've never seen the schnapps but it sounds interesting. I've basically seen it in sauces to have, as you guys mentioned, alongside vension or even schnitzel and also as a sweetened syrup. It sounds likely the tart was made with Preiselbeeren.

Again, I love it when I learn something on egullet or else it prompts me to do some research!

[ludja]

Ludja - Initially, I used 2/3 grated horseradish to 1/3 bread crumbs, but found that I can probably push the flap even more, and have gone up to 100% horseradish and love it. The wash is a simple egg white wash for binding, pressing the fish after into a horseradish "dredge."

Cheers!

Paul

thanks paul o'vendage... sounds very good.

I would have been *afraid* to directlly saute the grated raw horseradish--ie. I would have had no idea whether it would burn or turn bitter etc.

Since I'm far away from my mom's plant, I need to find some raw speciments out here...