NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

December 3, 1998

Prairie Fare: The Root of All ...

If it's possible to be addicted to horseradish, then I am. My love affair with horseradish goes so far back that I can't even remember the first time I tried it. But I do remember that I used to take horseradish sandwiches to vacation Bible school.

In some ways, eating horseradish is a lot like practicing a religion—its devotees are zealous defenders of this member of the mustard family. Some would say radical.

An herb, horseradish produces large shapely leaves that remind me of romaine lettuce, and its pretty white flowers look like a cross between the bloom of baby's breath and that of yarrow. I know how a horseradish plant looks because I grow it—enough of it to harvest some each fall. Of course, it's the gnarly horseradish root that gets transformed by my grinding into a condiment worthy of anointing the finest cuts of meat, fish or fowl, and an assortment of vegetables too.

Salt, white vinegar and ground horseradish—simple yet profuse. Those of you who've ground horseradish know what I mean by my use of the word profuse. The fumes that horseradish roots expel during the grinding process no doubt could bring some to their knees. The trick is to get the grinder downwind of you.

But watery, blood-shot eyes and an occasional loss of breath are small prices to pay for the sinus-clearing, esophagus-convulsing sensory overload that a spoonful of extra-hot horseradish provides. Believe me, it's an eating experience you're not likely to forget, and one some of you may start craving, if you don't already.

Am I engaging in culinary blasphemy or displaying a type of enlightenment? You decide. Mix a tablespoon or two of ground horseradish with a cup of sour cream, a shake or two of paprika, and a little salt. Try this dip with fresh vegetables, like broccoli, or with cocktail meatballs made of ham. Or add some ground horseradish and crumbled bacon to your favorite creamy coleslaw or chicken salad recipe. Or mix some horseradish into your favorite tartar sauce and eat this decidely zestier combination on some broiled fish.

Or, try what follows, a horseradish-heavier adaptation of a recipe available from the North Dakota Beef Commission. These pinwheels should make for some good conversation during your holiday get-togethers, but just remember, it may not be the holiday spirit that's moving your guests to tears.

Party Pinwheels
Yield: 32 pinwheels

Ingredients:
12 ounces thinly sliced deli-style roast beef
½ cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons minced dill pickles
2 tablespoons horseradish
4 10-inch flour tortillas (or lefse rounds)
2 cups spinach leaves (about 20)
1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Procedure:
Combine cheese, onion, pickles and horseradish and spread over one side of each tortilla or lefse round. Place roast beef over cheese but leave a ½-inch border around edges. Place spinach over beef in similar pattern. Arrange tomatoes down the center of each sandwich on top of spinach. Roll each up tightly, cover separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to six hours, before serving. To serve, cut each roll crosswise into 8 slices and arrange on platter wide-side up. If desired garnish with parsley or dill sprigs.

What's Your Take on This, Julie?

The 6 million gallons of commercial horseradish now produced annually in the United States could add zest to enough sandwiches to stretch around the world 12 times. But this mild-looking root has a zesty history as well.

Early Greeks used it as an ointment for lower back pain. Others were convinced it cured rheumatism. Still others thought of it as an aphrodisiac. Although the British first thought of it as being fit only for laborers, they made it the standard accompaniment for beef and oysters in the 1600s. Considered one of the first convenience foods, horseradish was bottled and sold commercially in 1860.

Horseradish, or "sting-nose" as it was nicknamed in some parts of this country, gets its hot flavor from volatile oils released during grinding. Vinegar stops the reaction and stabilizes the flavor. As horseradish ages, it becomes light brown in color and loses some of its bite.

To savor the taste, buy only as much as you'll use in a reasonable time and keep it in a tightly-closed container in the refrigerator. Serve it in a glass or ceramic bowl—never in your prize silver dish—because it will tarnish metal.

Adding horseradish will add zip to your sandwiches, appetizers and dips but won't add pounds to your frame. It's a nutritional bargain at 2 calories per teaspoon, plus it's low in sodium, fat-free and contains some dietary fiber.

Holiday appetizers are usually dripping with fat and calories but not these Party Pinwheels. Not only colorful and tasty, each pinwheel contains a skinny 40 calories and 1 gram of fat (if you use fat-free cream cheese), along with some iron from the beef and vitamins C and A from the tomato and spinach.

Indulging in favorite foods is typical holiday behavior, but there may be occasions during the upcoming weeks when you'll want to take a time-out from consuming excessive calories. Besides eating foods that are lower in calories, there are other strategies you can use. Take smaller-than-average portions or share what you take with a friend. Use a small plate, or better yet, a napkin so you limit the drippy appetizers. Pile your plate with vegetables and fruits.

Position yourself strategically at holiday parties—away from the buffet table. Remember "out of sight, out of mind." Do a lot of visiting. It's hard to stuff yourself when you're talking.

And remember, food isn't the only thing that benefits from a little extra zip—add some zip to your step. Try to get in 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. It doesn't have to be all at once. Three repetitions of 10-minute spurts are just as beneficial.

If you follow these tips on eating and physical activity, you might just avoid having to make the most famous of New Year's resolutions: the one about losing weight.

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Sources: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136 Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187

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