Horseradish is a very strange herb. First off, is the very unique flavor, only somewhat comparable to wasabi. The most interesting versions of horseradish are 'spicy' or insanely hot. Unlike a chili pepper though, it doesn't scorch your mouth and the burning sensation won't linger afterwards.
When Laura and I moved to Oakwood her parents brought us a nice gift of a horseradish root. I wasn't well experienced with the herb at the time and planted it because I was excited to grow something. Yesterday I dug up the first real harvest of it. Boy was I in for a surprise.
I set out to make the hottest horseradish I could possibly muster. During my research I was constantly reminded, do this outdoors or in a well ventilated area! Naturally I thought the internet being what it is, full of pansies I ignored the warning. This made the rest of the process much more challenging.
The process was actually very easy.
First you hack up the horseradish into pieces.
I was surprised about how good its fragrance was at this point.Next in a food processor/blender with a tablespoon or two of water (next time I'm going to try vodka) process to desired consistency.
This is the part you actually listen to the warnings. Naturally I huffed a big lungful to see what was going on with it and immediately began coughing, crying and dancing around the kitchen yelling WOO!!
This was Laura's first reaction after sniffing it.After that add a couple tablespoons of vinegar. For a very hot experience add it a few minutes afterwards. For mild heat you can add it before processing or immediately afterwards.
The effects of the horseradish at this point are very strong and trying to spoon it into a container is challenging when your nose is running and eyes are streaming with tears, use caution and speed to minimize this.
Here I am trying to scoop it into a jar, not exaggerating the need to hold it that far from me.Next up of course is the taste test! My only benchmark for crazy hot horseradish is from St. Elmo in Indianapolis. Their shrimp cocktail is delightful and almost intolerably hot.
Did I succeed in making the hottest horseradish I could?
I'd say so.
