John Myers
The plant from the cruciferous family is valued in culinary terms both as a vegetable and as a spice – and in both cases brings tears to the eyes of lovers. The reason: horseradish forms so-called allyl mustard oil when cut and chopped up, which is known for its biting heat. At the same time, this gives the root its characteristic spiciness, which is vaguely reminiscent of sulphur.
Good to know: Horseradish plants originally come from south-eastern Europe, where they still grow wild today.
Purchasing and storage
You can get preserved grated horseradish in jars in stores all year round in this country. In terms of aroma, however, nothing beats fresh horseradish root, which only develops its full flavor when washed, peeled, and grated or grated. It is in season from October to April.
When buying fresh horseradish, make sure that the roots are whole, clean, and free from discoloration and bruises.
You can easily store horseradish in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator for up to a month. You can also freeze horseradish to keep the fresh root for several months. Simply place the vegetables in an airtight container in the freezer.
Kitchen tips for horseradish
The horseradish, known in Austria as horseradish, is valued in the sauce for the classic Viennese fillet of boiled beef and is also often served pureed with cream and served with smoked fish. But horseradish can do much more!
This is how you give your salad dressings a sophisticated, savory touch with grated horseradish. The root vegetable also tastes great on its own as a side dish or in combination with quark or crème fraîche with potatoes and is a flavorful ingredient in stews and vegetable soup recipes. For example, try our horseradish soup with apple and almond croutons.
Also delicious: grated horseradish in homemade herb quark or in cream cheese creations with a hearty snack and fresh fish, as in our recipe for cream herring.
By the way: The mustard oils contained in the root make horseradish a healthy food. In our expert knowledge you will learn everything about the positive properties of the spicy vegetable.
