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Poppy’s Horseradish

September 20, 2009

My family is spoiled. J.’s grandma, GG, makes her own gefilte fish from scratch. It is delicious, and even though I rarely like fish I look forward to her gefilte on the holidays. It is truly a labor of love, both because it is time consuming and because she has to make a lot to feed us all! Because of that effort, it just seems wrong to put jarred horseradish on top of something so lovingly homemade. So although J.’s grandpa Poppy, the originator of the family horseradish recipe, is no longer with us to celebrate and make his horseradish himself, his recipe lives on. Lauren has made it for Rosh Hashanah and Passover for several years, and I was lucky enough to have her teach me the method this time around. Even if your family doesn’t eat gefilte fish, prepared horseradish is great with roast beef, in dips, and more.

I was warned that the fumes coming off the grated horseradish root are even more potent than a strong onion, but I felt it was just barely more manageable than that. Still, I had to walk away from the recipe more than a few times, just to clear my eyes and be able to see what I was doing! (Every time I opened the food processor, a fresh wave of blinding fumes hit me.) Lauren’s expression cracked me up when I did this — she smiled a little knowingly, indulgently, and then moved to take over whatever step we were in the middle of while I lunged for fresh air. Clearly, she is a seasoned pro! You’ll want to heed the instructions she included on the recipe: “Windows open and door open — you’ll appreciate it!” A fan might be nice, too.

Poppy’s Horseradish
Makes 4-5 cups of prepared horseradish, which in our family is enough for two nights of about 12+ adults each night eating liberal amounts with their gefilte fish, plus a little left over

2 large horseradish roots (about 1.5 lbs.)
1 15-oz. can sliced beets, drained + reserve liquid
3/4 – 1 c. red wine vinegar (other vinegar is fine)
3/4 – 1 c. granulated sugar
2 – 4 tsp. salt (to taste)

Trim and peel the horseradish root, then cut into large chunks that will fit into your food processor. Using the shredder/grating blade, process all of the horseradish root and the drained beets, then remove to a large bowl. (Poppy’s original recipe has you put the shredded horseradish through the food processor again so it is double-shredded, but I don’t think this is necessary.)

Starting with the smaller quantities suggested, add vinegar, sugar, and salt to the horseradish and beets. Mix well. Change out the shredder in your food processor for the chopping blade. Add the contents of the bowl back into the food processor, and pulse until pureed. If needed, add some of the reserved beet juice back into the mix if it is too thick — this will also make it a deeper purple color.

Once horseradish has reached the consistency you want, taste it and adjust the vinegar, sugar, and salt — just a tiny taste does the trick. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container (Horseradish.org says for up to 4-6 months!). The strength of the horseradish will diminish as it ages.

Here’s what the root looks like just after it has been peeled:

Filed under: Dip,Holidays,Veggie Sides

Tags: food, GG, Poppy Horseradish, recipe, Rosh Hashanah