Horseradish is a common plant in home gardens. It is undemanding to climatic conditions, it does not need special care, and it grows well. Horseradish is widely used in cooking; it is often added when preserving vegetables. And also a sharp and aromatic seasoning is made from it, which well complements meat and fish. But the most common combination is aspic (jelly) and table horseradish. The classic seasoning recipe is simple, but there are other ways to prepare and combine the ingredients.
About horseradish
Due to the high concentration of vitamin C, horseradish is an excellent immunostimulating agent. It contains essential oils, starch, salts of calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, proteins. Since it is considered a natural antibiotic, it is often used to eliminate inflammation on the mucous membrane. They recommend using infusion from the root to combat toothache and gum problems.
But this is far from everything for which table horseradish is used. Recipes of traditional medicine allow it to be used to eliminate problems with the kidneys, pancreas, gall bladder, high blood pressure, hepatitis. Scientists have discovered another important feature in horseradish - the ability to destroy cancer cells.
How to prepare the main ingredient
The most difficult step in the preparation is chopping horseradish, so it has a sharp specific aroma, often causing tears. There are several ways to make horseradish puree.
- Peeled roots must be passed through a meat grinder, using a nozzle with small holes. To simplify the task, you should first chop the horseradish into pieces.
- Grate the roots on a fine grater. Such an operation should be done on the summer terrace or home balcony. Due to the essential oils and pungent odor, one should not rub horseradish indoors.
- There is another way of mashed horseradish tableware. The recipe for the fastest and safest chopping is simple - you need to grind the roots in a blender.
Classic cooking
There are very few ingredients in the simplest recipe. There is no vinegar in it, and the main component is the horseradish root. The fresher it is, the tastier the result. The best root is the one that has only been extracted from the soil. It will take one kilogram. The remaining components are 20 ml of lemon juice, 50 g of sugar, 30 g of salt and 250 ml of water.
Sugar and salt are added to the horseradish puree. Then you need to pour everything with boiling water and mix thoroughly.
So that it can be stored for several months, it is poured into sterile jars. In each you need to add a teaspoon of lemon juice, which acts as a preservative and does not allow the seasoning to darken. Excessive lemon will make the taste more acidic, which is not a recipe for spicy table horseradish. Tightly sealed jars should be stored in the refrigerator.
Since not everyone likes the seasoning, you can make it more tender by adding sour cream or grated apples.
Horseradish Recipe with Vinegar
Seasoning is not only a delicious addition to dishes that can make their aroma more interesting, it is also good for health during colds. Therefore, in the kitchen of almost any hostess, you can find table horseradish. A winter recipe involves adding vinegar as a preservative.
For cooking, you need to take a pound of horseradish, one glass of water and vinegar (5%), two tsp. salt and three tsp Sahara.
All ingredients must be mixed and put in jars. For two days they can be stored at room temperature, then they must be cleaned in a refrigerator.
Beetroot Seasoning Recipe
Quite often, beetroot juice and table horseradish are combined. A winter recipe with vinegar and these ingredients will allow you to enjoy the unmatched taste of seasoning at any time, without fear that it has soured. Shelf life is one year.
The necessary products include horseradish (400 g), beet juice (50 ml), water (150 ml), vinegar (9%) (150 ml), salt (30 g), sugar (20 g).
Horseradish roots should be peeled and cut into pieces and soaked in water for several days. Then you need to grind it and pour in a lot of boiling water, add salt and sugar. Freshly squeezed beet juice should be mixed with vinegar and added to horseradish. It remains only to put the horseradish in sterile jars, close the lids and put in the refrigerator.
Little tricks
There are a huge number of options for dishes and seasonings, which include table horseradish. Recipes are not always the guarantee of an excellent result. There are several small tricks when working with this product. For example, September is the best time to harvest the roots. It must be remembered that the sharpness, which is the main taste characteristic of the product, remains in puree for no more than a month. And the root itself is able to wait its hour in the refrigerator for six months, so it is recommended to make blanks as necessary.
So that the essential oils secreted by horseradish during grinding are not so concentrated, before starting work, it should be removed for two hours in the freezer.
If the recipe for table horseradish involves chopping it in a meat grinder, it is worthwhile to attach a plastic bag to the neck. To protect hands from smell and possible damage, gloves should be worn before use.
The longer the horseradish seasoning is stored, the more it loses its sharpness. Therefore, the workpiece should not be stored for a long time.