Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

Alright, here's an easy horseradish mashed potato recipe suitable for the holidays or for when you want to put mashed potatoes in store brand white bread with ketchup.

This recipe is based on one I saw in a magazine, but my memory is as effective as Columbus was a good navigator or humanitarian so apologies for not giving credit where it's due.

Why Horseradish is so pungent

Horseradish is thought to originate in Western Asia and has a reputation as a moreish ingredient doubling as a delicious and pleasantly vicious sinus irritant. Like mustard, the horseradish root is a member of the cabbage family. Another similarity between these two ingredients is their abundance of a glucosinolate called sinigrin.

Glucosinolates can be thought of as a chemical defense system for members of the cabbage family and sinigrin is responsible for the volatile compound that gives horseradish its signature pungency. Mustard, wasabi, and horseradish are unique because the volatile oil in sinagrin travels through the air at room temperature to cause irritation to our mouths and nasal passages. All we must do to activate this feature in horseradish is cut, grate, or bruise it.

Horseradish stores its chemical munitions in a bitter-tasting but non-irritating form. The act of bruising or grating the raw root damages its cellular structure and hence frees the irritant molecules, and we feel the effects almost immediately.

In this recipe the grated horseradish is simmered with dairy free milk, and heat sabotages the volatile compound so the biting sharpness is gone. Consequently these mashed potatoes are mild with a murmur of the underlying horseradish flavour. Should you wish for a more pungent mash, add some freshly grated root before serving.

? Horseradish Mash Recipe

This is an easy to make mash recipe with a mild horseradish undertone. If you like dill, add a mix of parsley and dill. If using vegan yoghurt then ensure it is free from both sugar (or any sweeteners) and flavouring agents (e.g. vanilla). Ditto for the non dairy milk. For a greater bite, add a little fresh horseradish before serving. You can knock these horseradish mashed potatoes out in half an hour.

Ingredients

• 1 kilogram floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 220 millilitres non dairy milk
• 90 grams finely grated horseradish
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 6 tablespoons Oatly crème fraîche or sugar free vegan yoghurt
• Big handful minced parsley and/or dill
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Vegan butter

Directions/Method

1. Boil the potatoes in water with 1% salinity (10 grams, or a heaped teaspoon) salt per litre for 15-20 minutes, until fork tender.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, add the non dairy milk and horseradish to a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. The milk may look curdled but that's okay.
3. When potatoes are done drain and tip into a large bowl. Use a masher to mash the spuds. Add milk and horseradish mixture, mustard, creme fraiche and/or yoghurt, parsley and/or dill, and any salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly.
4. Serve with a generous pat of vegan butter.   

• Author: Kip Dorrell
• Serves: 5-6 with a main
• Cuisine: European