Horseradish grows up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall, with hairless bright green unlobed leaves up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) long that may be mistaken for docks (Rumex).[3]: 423 It is cultivated primarily for its large, white, taperedroot.[4][5][6][7] The white four-petalled flowers are scented and are borne in dense panicles.[3] Established plants may form extensive patches[3] and may become invasive unless carefully managed.[8]
Fresco containing a possible horseradish from Ostia Antica
Horseradish has been cultivated since antiquity.Dioscorides listed horseradish equally asPersicon sinapi (Diosc. 2.186) orSinapi persicum (Diosc. 2.168),[9] whichPliny's Natural History reported asPersicon napy;[10]Cato discusses the plant in his treatises on agriculture. A mural inOstia Antica shows the plant. Horseradish is probably the plant mentioned byPliny the Elder in hisNatural History under the name ofAmoracia, and recommended by him for its medicinal qualities, and possibly the wildradish, orraphanos agrios of theGreeks. The early Renaissance herbalistsPietro Andrea Mattioli andJohn Gerard showed it underRaphanus.[11] Its modernLinnaean genusArmoracia was first applied to it byHeinrich Bernhard Ruppius, in hisFlora Jenensis, 1745, butLinnaeus himself called itCochlearia armoracia.
William Turner mentions horseradish asRed Cole in his "Herbal" (1551–1568), but not as a condiment. InThe Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes (1597),John Gerard describes it under the name ofraphanus rusticanus, stating that it occurs wild in several parts of England. After referring to its medicinal uses, he says:
[T]he Horse Radish stamped with a little vinegar put thereto, is commonly used among the Germans for sauce to eat fish with and such like meats as we do mustard.[14]
The wordhorseradish is attested in English from the 1590s. It combines the wordhorse (formerly used in a figurative sense to mean strong or coarse, as with archaichorsepistol andhorselock) and the wordradish.[15] Some sources say that the term originates from a mispronunciation of the German word "meerrettich" as "mareradish".[16][17][18] However, this hypothesis has been disputed, as there is no historical evidence of this term being used.[19]
Horseradish, fromThe Book of Health, 1898, by Henry Munson Lyman
Horseradish isperennial inhardiness zones 2–9 and can be grown as anannual in other zones, although not as successfully as in zones with both a long growing season and winter temperatures cold enough to ensure plant dormancy. After the first frost in 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 becomeinvasive. Older roots left in the ground become woody, after which they are no longer culinarily useful, although older plants can be dug and re-divided to start new plants. The early season leaves can be distinctively different, asymmetric spiky before the mature typical flat broad leaves start to be developed.
Introduced by accident, "cabbageworms", the larvae ofPieris rapae, are a common caterpillar pest in horseradish. Mature caterpillars chew large, ragged holes in the leaves leaving the large veins intact. Handpicking is an effective control strategy in home gardens.[20] Another common pest of horseradish is the mustard leaf beetle (Phaedon cochleariae).[21] These beetles are undeterred by the defense mechanisms produced by Brassicaceae plants like horseradish.[22]
Thirty thousand metric tonnes of horseradish are produced in Europe annually, of which Hungary produces 12,000, making it the biggest single producer.[24]
Allyl isothiocyanate is the pungent ingredient in fresh horseradish sauce.
The distinctive pungent taste of horseradish is from the compoundallyl isothiocyanate. Upon crushing the flesh of horseradish, theenzymemyrosinase is released and acts on theglucosinolatessinigrin andgluconasturtiin, which are precursors to the allyl isothiocyanate.[citation needed] The allyl isothiocyanate serves the plant as anatural defense againstherbivores. Since allyl isothiocyanate hurts the plant, it is stored in the harmless form of glucosinolate, separate from the enzyme myrosinase. When an animal chews the plant, the allyl isothiocyanate is released, repelling the animal.[25] Allyl isothiocyanate is an unstable compound, degrading over days at 37 °C (99 °F).[26] Because of this instability, horseradish sauces lack the pungency of freshly crushed roots.
Cooks may use the terms "horseradish" or "prepared horseradish" to refer to the mashed (or grated) root of the horseradish plant mixed withvinegar. Prepared horseradish is white to creamy beige. It can be stored for up to 3 months under refrigeration,[27] but eventually will darken, indicating less flavour.[citation needed] The leaves of the plant are edible, either cooked or raw when young,[28] with a flavor similar but weaker than the roots.
A dish of horseradish served with a mealA bottle of prepared horseradish
Horseradish sauce made from grated horseradish root andvinegar is a commoncondiment in theUnited Kingdom, in Denmark (with sugar added) and inPoland.[30] In the UK, it is usually served with roast beef, often as part of a traditionalSunday roast, but can be used in a number of other dishes, including sandwiches or salads. A variation of horseradish sauce, which in some cases may replace the vinegar with other products like lemon juice orcitric acid, is known in Germany asTafelmeerrettich. Also available in the UK isTewkesbury mustard, a blend of mustard and grated horseradish originating in medieval times and mentioned byShakespeare (Falstaff says: "his wit's as thick as Tewkesbury Mustard" in Henry IV Part II[31]). A similar mustard, calledKrensenf orMeerrettichsenf, is common in Austria and parts of Germany. InFrance,sauce au raifort is used inAlsatian cuisine. InRussia, horseradish root is usually mixed with grated garlic and a small amount of tomatoes for color (Khrenovina sauce).
In the United States, the term "horseradish sauce" refers to grated horseradish combined withmayonnaise or salad dressing. In Denmark, it is mixed with whipping cream and as such used on top of traditional Danish open sandwiches with beef (boiled or steaked) slices. Prepared horseradish is a common ingredient inBloody Mary cocktails and incocktail sauce and is used as a sauce or sandwich spread. Horseradish cream is a mixture of horseradish and sour cream and is servedau jus for aprime rib dinner.[32]
In Europe, there are two varieties ofchrain. "Red" chrain is mixed with redbeetroot and "white" chrain contains no beetroot. Chrain is a part of ChristianEaster and JewishPassover tradition (asmaror) in Eastern and Central Europe. In the Christian tradition, horseradish is eaten duringEastertide (Paschaltide) as "is a reminder of the bitterness of Jesus' suffering" onGood Friday.[33]
In parts of Southern Germany "kren" is a component of the traditional wedding dinner. It is served with cooked beef and a dip made from lingonberry to balance the slight hotness of the Kren.
InPoland, a variety with red beetroot is calledćwikła z chrzanem or simply ćwikła.
InRussia, a very popular ingredient for pickles (cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms).
InTransylvania and other Romanian regions, red beetroot with horseradish is used as a salad served with lamb dishes at Easter calledsfecla cu hrean.
InSerbia,ren is an essential condiment with cooked meat and freshly roasted suckling pig.
InCroatia, freshly grated horseradish (Croatian: Hren) is often eaten with boiledham orbeef.
InHungary,Slovenia, and in the adjacentItalian regions ofFriuli-Venezia Giulia and the nearby Italian region ofVeneto, horseradish (often grated and mixed with sour cream, vinegar, hard-boiled eggs, or apples) is also a traditionalEaster dish.
Outside Japan, the Japanese condimentwasabi, although traditionally prepared from the true wasabi plant (Wasabia japonica), is now usually made with horseradish due to the scarcity of the wasabi plant.[40] The Japanese botanical name for horseradish isseiyōwasabi (セイヨウワサビ, 西洋山葵), or "Western wasabi". Both plants are members of the familyBrassicaceae.
In a 100-gram amount, prepared horseradish provides 48calories and has a high content ofvitamin C with moderate content ofsodium,folate anddietary fiber, while otheressential nutrients are negligible in content.[41] In a typical serving of onetablespoon (15 grams), horseradish supplies no significant nutrient content.[41]
Theenzymehorseradish peroxidase (HRP), found in the plant, is used extensively in molecular biology and biochemistry primarily for its ability to amplify a weak signal and increase the detectability of a target molecule.[42] HRP has been used in decades of research to visualize undermicroscopy and assess non-quantitatively thepermeability ofcapillaries, particularly those of the brain.[43]
^Bladha, K. Wedelsbäck; Olssonb, K. M. (2011). "Introduction and use of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) as food and medicine from antiquity to the present: Emphasis on the nordic countries".Journal of Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants.17 (3):197–213.doi:10.1080/10496475.2011.595055.S2CID84556980.
^Lossinsky, A. S.; Shivers, R. R. (2004). "Structural pathways for macromolecular and cellular transport across the blood-brain barrier during inflammatory conditions. Review".Histology and Histopathology.19 (2):535–64.doi:10.14670/HH-19.535.PMID15024715.
