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Radish, Horse
Wash the horse-radish thoroughly, and lay it in cold water for an hour. Scrape it into fine curly shreds with a sharp knife, and use it to garnish various dishes. It is a frequent accompaniment to roast beef and to many kinds of fish.
A preparation rather than a dish: scraped horseradish shreds used as a garnish. Two things matter — keeping the root cold so the shreds curl, and knowing that the pungency is volatile.
- Choosing the rootLook for a firm root with no soft spots or green shoots; a limp root will shred into rags rather than curls. Peel the woody outer skin before scraping, and cut away any hollow or fibrous core.
- Why the cold soakThe hour in cold water crisps the root, which helps the shavings hold a curl rather than tearing. A further spell in ice water will tighten the finished shreds; drain and pat dry before plating.
- Scraping in practiceA sharp knife drawn along the root works, but a swivel peeler or a mandoline gives more even ribbons with less effort. Work along the length of the root, not across it.
- FumesCut horseradish releases allyl isothiocyanate, which is far more aggressive to the eyes and nose than onion. Work near an open window or under an extractor, and do not lean over the root.
- TimingThe heat is strongest soon after cutting and then fades as the volatile compounds disperse. Shred not long before serving, and do not cook or hold the garnish warm, which drives off much of the pungency.
- QuantityThe book gives no quantities; scrape as much as the platter needs. Wrap unused root tightly and refrigerate.
- ServingThe book gives it with roast beef and with many kinds of fish. The dry shreds also work where a bottled sauce would be too wet — scattered over a beef salad, or on oysters.
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a brassica, and its bite comes from the same mustard-oil chemistry as wasabi and mustard seed, which is why intact root smells of almost nothing until it is cut or grated. It appears in English use as a medicinal plant before it became a table condiment; John Gerard's herbal remarked on the Germans' fondness for it as a sauce for fish, and the pairing with beef is recorded later. Victorian service prized visible ornament on a platter, and the pale ruffle of scraped horseradish did double duty as decoration and seasoning.