Horseradish is in season. The cruciferous flowering plant blooms from May to July and can grow up to 1.50 meters high. Who would like to make itself therefore on the search for the welfare plant of the year 2021, which was selected by the association NHV Theophrastus, has exactly now the opportunity for it. Its harvest time is between October and January.
Just around the corner
A well-known cultivation area of the pungent root can be found right in the neighborhood of Berlin: the Spreewald. "Spreewald" horseradish is grown in Klein Klessow just outside the town of Lubbenau. We are the only farm that still cultivates this traditional variety, and preserving it is very important to us," says vegetable grower Dirk Richter in a brochure published by the NHV Theopastrus.
And the passion is urgently needed, the Spreewald horseradish was rated in 2018 by Unesco as an extinct plant species. The seedlings for the new season are called "Schwiegatze" in Spreewald. Beside the Spreewald the well-known cultivation places are in the German-speaking countries still in Franconia, the region Baden as well as in the Steiermark in Austria to find. Otherwise, the horseradish is grown within Europe, for example, in Hungary and Serbia, outside Europe in the U.S., South Africa and China.
Therapeutic effect
"Horseradish tastes spicy." This is what they say. But is it true? Our taste receptors in the mouth perceive five flavors: sweet, bitter, salty, sour and umami (spicy, savory-intense). However, pungency does not act on taste receptors, but on pain and heat receptors. This triggers vasodilatation and increased perspiration, which in turn cools the body. Probably for this very reason is often eaten spicy in hot countries.
A consequence of the more intense blood circulation is also a flavor-enhancing effect. It would be better to say: "Horseradish is hot" or "Horseradish is hot". The root contains a considerable amount of vitamins C, B1, B2 and B6. It also contains minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron. Of great importance are the mustard oil glycosides. Horseradish is therefore useful for urinary tract infections, respiratory diseases, sinusitis, tonsillitis and flu-like infections.
A daily intake of 20 grams of fresh horseradish root already shows therapeutic effects. However, since this dose can also irritate stomach and intestinal mucous membranes, it makes sense to first test how much you can tolerate with smaller amounts. The intake should not be longer than four to six weeks.
Delicious food
Horseradish can be well incorporated into delicious dishes. A horseradish soup, for example, is quick to make, healthy and tastes great. For two servings, peel and chop two onions and three potatoes and saute in a pot. Deglaze with a quart of vegetable broth, simmer for 20 minutes, and puree. Then add three tablespoons of grated horseradish and 150 milliliters of cream, season with salt and nutmeg and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
For horseradish butter, stir into 150 grams of soft butter 50 grams of freshly grated horseradish and a teaspoon of dill. You can wrap the butter into a roll with the help of aluminum foil and put it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then remove from the foil, roll in dill and arrange in slices. Horseradish butter fits on bread, but also with baked potatoes.