Horseradish is one of the best natural antiseptics. It is used to prepare sauces, seasonings, snacks, pickled and salted vegetables, and cold soups. The product improves appetite, increases the body's defenses during epidemics of influenza and ARVI, is used in the treatment of sore throat, and alleviates gout, rheumatism, and kidney stones.
Freezing ensures the preservation of the beneficial properties of horseradish, improves the taste and eliminates the pungent odor of the root. In this article we will tell you how to freeze roots and leaves, how to properly store and use the preparations.
Is it possible to freeze horseradish for the winter?
Horseradish is the only plant that can withstand temperatures down to -90°C without losing its beneficial properties, so freezing it for the winter is not only possible, but also necessary. The advantage of this storage method is the loss of the pungent odor, which forces housewives to suffer in the process of grinding the roots on a grater. The second advantage of freezing a product is an increase in taste.
Horseradish is characterized by high nutritional value - the leaves and roots contain B vitamins, vitamin C, E, K and PP, potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, iron, copper, fluorine, zinc.
Reference. 100 g of product contains 61.1% of the daily requirement of ascorbic acid.
Contraindications for use
No matter how useful horseradish may seem, not every body is able to perceive it normally. It is not recommended to eat it for those who have at least some problems with the intestines, digestive tract, etc. It is also not recommended to use horseradish for cosmetic purposes for those who have oily, dry or problematic skin. Even if the skin is perfectly healthy, you should not leave horseradish on your face for a long time - it can cause burns and damage to your facial skin.
Eating horseradish is contraindicated:
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women.
- People with individual intolerance to the product.
- People with acute intestinal and gastrointestinal disorders.
- With increased acidity in the body.
Selection and preparation of horseradish for freezing
Juicy roots without dark spots, damage and signs of rotting at the age of 2-3 years are suitable for freezing. The leaves should be fresh, green and crisp. When cut, the roots should be milky or white.
The roots are soaked in cold water for 1-2 hours to remove dirt and make cleaning easier. The washed roots are brushed and the skin is cut off with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. To minimize exposure to air, place the peeled horseradish in a bowl of ice water. This will preserve the aromatic substances of the plant. Then the roots are dried with a paper or waffle towel and frozen.
Horseradish leaves are thoroughly washed under the tap, placed between two towels or dried in a salad and herb dehydrator to remove water.
The photo shows horseradish roots and leaves.
How to cook horseradish without cooking with tomatoes and horseradish
A savory snack made from chopped vegetables helps fight viral organisms in the winter. It also lowers blood sugar levels. Therefore, cobra is not only tasty, but also very healthy.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of tomatoes;
- 50 g garlic;
- 50 g horseradish;
- 1 tsp sugar;
- 1 tbsp salt.
Preparation
First, we clean the horseradish root. If you want to soften the spicy taste of the sauce, you should pour boiling water over it. Then cut into small pieces to make it easier to grind in a blender.
We peel the garlic and send it to horseradish. We should get a homogeneous mass.
At the next stage, cut the washed tomatoes into four parts and place them in a blender, blend until a puree mixture is obtained.
Add chopped garlic and horseradish to the tomato mass and stir everything together.
Add sugar and salt to the sauce and stir. Leave the appetizer for one hour so that all the bubbles come out.
Seal with lids and store in a cool place.
The spiciness of the dish can be adjusted by the amount of garlic and horseradish. Therefore, always taste the finished sauce.
Freezing methods
There are several methods of freezing, depending on the purpose of use in cooking. The roots are frozen whole, in pieces, or grated.
Entirely
Roots without peel are placed in plastic bags of 3-4 pieces. or wrapped in cling film. Then place it in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.
Pieces
The peeled roots are cut into 2-3 cm pieces and placed in freezer bags or food containers. Thick bags with a zip lock are ideal - they do not allow air or foreign odors to pass through.
Containers are sealed with lids or wrapped in cling film. The preparations are placed in the freezer. After 3-4 hours, take out the workpiece and shake it - this way the pieces will not stick together into one mass.
This is interesting:
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Grated
The method of storing grated horseradish is labor-intensive, but you will already have a ready-made component for preparing dishes. Peeled and soaked in cold water, horseradish is grated by hand on a fine grater or a more gentle method of grinding is used in a blender or meat grinder.
To protect the eyes and respiratory organs, wear a respirator, if available, or a cotton-gauze bandage, and construction glasses.
A plastic bag is pulled over the outlet of the meat grinder so that the chopped horseradish falls directly into it. Thus, it is possible to minimize the release of odorous vapors into the air.
Prepared horseradish is packaged in freezer bags or trays.
Advice. Mix chopped horseradish with grated apple and lemon juice. Use it as a snack or dressing.
Leaves
Prepared horseradish leaves are placed in bags whole or cut into strips. This preparation enriches the taste of meat dishes, soups, appetizers, and sandwiches.
Freezing horseradish leaves
Why are horseradish leaves needed? This green complements and improves the taste of meat dishes, including soups. The leaves are also added to marinades so that vegetables are stored longer and do not spoil.
Rules and stages of freezing leaves:
- Collect healthy green leaves, rinse thoroughly and dry.
- Without cutting, place in stacks in containers or bags.
- Squeeze out the air and pack tightly.
- Store in the vegetable compartment.
To use the leaves, simply remove them from the freezer and immediately add them to your dish. There is no need to wait for thawing.
Russian national cuisine is unthinkable without horseradish. Do not limit yourself in winter supplies of this vitamin-rich spicy fruit: make canned food, salads, marinades, freeze fresh root. Horseradish will benefit the body in any form.
Application
Horseradish is widely used in cooking for the preparation of:
- cold soups: botvinya, okroshka, mushroom, vegetable, borscht;
- gravy for meat and fish;
- sauces with sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise with the addition of lingonberries, cranberries, dill, parsley;
- homemade alcoholic drinks (hrenovukha);
- savory appetizers for meat with tomatoes or beets;
- marinades, pickles;
- spicy salads.
A culinary masterpiece called “khrenovina”, “khrenoder” has long been loved by fans of savory snacks. Other names for this seasoning are “Ogonyok”, “Russian adjika”. The appetizer is prepared from tomatoes, garlic and horseradish root twisted in a meat grinder. The finished mixture is salted to taste, seasoned with vinegar, black or red ground pepper. The proportions are arbitrary, depending on the desired spiciness.
A spicy sauce is prepared with horseradish leaves.
For this recipe take:
- 300 g fresh or frozen horseradish leaves;
- 1 kg of tomatoes;
- 6-8 cloves of garlic;
- sugar and salt - to taste.
All components of the sauce are ground in a meat grinder and sugar and salt are added. The resulting mass is placed in clean 250 ml jars and placed in the refrigerator for storage for three months.
How to freeze the root
One of the benefits of freezing horseradish root is that it becomes less pungent. Now it’s just a nice spicy supplement with a bunch of vitamins and microelements, and not a test for the eyes and stomach.
Frozen horseradish recipe:
- Choose whole, healthy-looking roots. Plants that are 2-3 years old are the most delicious. They are best stored.
- Fill the root with water and let it sit for a couple of hours to loosen the dirt. Use a brush if the fruit is too dirty.
- Peel the skin with a knife or potato peeler.
- Rinse and dry.
- Cut the root into cubes with an edge of 1-1.5 cm.
- Freeze all the cubes by placing them in an even layer on a flat plate. After 2-4 hours, remove them from the freezer and distribute them into storage bags. This way they won't stick together.
- Make convenient portions so that one package goes for one dish.
- Thawed horseradish cannot be stored for a long time, and repeated freezing is even more harmful to the product.
Miss Purity magazine recommends not storing horseradish and other fruits for more than one year, but rather eat frozen ones in the first months, without waiting for spring. This way you will get more benefits from the products.
Option with grated horseradish:
- Grind the peeled and washed fruit or pass it through a meat grinder, depending on what consistency you like best.
- Spoon the mixture into small portion packets.
- Place in the freezer immediately. The result was a preparation for sauces and salads.
- Grated horseradish is sometimes mixed with lemon juice and grated apple and used as a dressing or appetizer.
Tip Protect your eyes from caustic horseradish by placing a collection bag on the meat grinder.
Horseradish is a natural antibiotic, antiviral, appetite enhancer and gastrointestinal stimulant. Add some defrosted horseradish to your winter menu to always feel healthy and energetic.
