Celebrate with the Big Radish

Here’s an event to celebrate with relish! July is Horseradish Month . We are growing our own in our garden next to the Armadillo!

Horseradish has been grown for 3,000 years, and was prized by both the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Over the centuries it has been used as everything from a cough medicine to a love potion. While low on calories and fat, it’s famously big on flavour – and packed with valuable minerals and vitamins.

Nobody seems sure how this herb got its own special month, but it’s a great excuse to try some deliciously different horseradish recipes.

· Horseradish is still planted and harvested mostly by hand?

· Sales of bottled horseradish began in 1860, making it one of the first convenience foods?

· In the American South, horseradish was rubbed on the forehead to relieve headaches?

· Horseradish is added to some pickles to add firmness and “nip”.

· Before being named “horseradish,” the plant was known as “redcole” in England and as “stingnose” in some parts of the U.S.?

· Horseradish has only 2 calories a teaspoon, is low in sodium and provides dietary fiber?  Typically it is also trans fat-free

· Researchers at M.I.T. claim that the enzyme “horseradish peroxidase” removes a number of pollutants from waste water?

· The most widely recognized horseradish fan in the world may be Dagwood Bumstead, who consumed it regularly in the popular comic strip, “Blondie,” by Dean Young and Stan Drake?

· Germans still brew horseradish schnapps . . . . Some also add it to their beer?

  Al Weider earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records by tossing a horseradish root 80.5 feet to win the event.

Spicy Horseradish Guacamole

Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients:
1 Lg. ripe avocado
5 roasted jalapenos, peeled and seeded
1 head roasted garlic
2 ½ tsp. prepared horseradish
Juice from ½ lime
¼ tsp. granulated sugar

Instructions:
To roast the jalapenos and garlic. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Roast jalapenos in oil and put on a foil-lined baking dish in the oven. Slice the bottom off the head of garlic. Drizzle with oil and wrap in foil. Place in oven with jalapenos. Roast for 20 – 25 minutes, turning jalapenos over once during roasting period. Leave garlic in oven for an additional 15 minutes. Remove jalapenos and place in a sealed container until cool enough to handle. Peel and seed jalapenos and place in a medium sized mixing bowl. Remove garlic from oven and squeeze the head, emptying the contents into the bowl with jalapenos. Slice avocado in half, remove seed and set aside. Use a spoon to remove the avocado meat from the peel and add it to the bowl along with the rest of ingredients. Use a fork or pastry cutter to smash ingredients together to desired consistency. Use as a dip for tortilla chips or veggies or as a spread for your beef or chicken sandwich.

It's the Bomb Horseradish Avocado Sauce

Number of Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
1 Large Ripe avocado
1/2 Cup Sour cream
1 or 2 Tbsp. Hot horseradish, depending on your taste
1 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
Salt (optional)

Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a bowl and blend until very creamy. Use over eggs, shrimp or w/chips dip, veggies or sandwich spread.

Smoky Hot Oyster Dip

Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients:
1 Dz. oysters on the half shell
2 Tbsp. horseradish
1/3 C. chipotle ketchup
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ half fresh lemon
2 Tbsp. beer

Instructions:
Arrange one dozen freshly shucked oysters on a bed of ice. Into a small dipping bowl, combine and mix horseradish, chipotle-ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, juice from half a lemon and then add beer. Season to taste with hot sauce (if you want it real fiery)!

 

Tasty & Saucy with a little pull.

We're adding a litle tango to our mango (margaritas) with a touch of ginger to make you want to dance...We love this drink with Slow Cooked Pulled Pork. Recipe follows:

Sweet and Savory Slow Cooker Pulled Pork     Servings: 10

Ingredients:

1 (4.5 pound) bone-in pork shoulder roast

1 cup root beer

2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons ground paprika

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 cups root beer

1 1/2 fluid ounces whiskey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup prepared barbecue sauce

10 buns, split

1. Place the pork shoulder roast into a large plastic bag, pour 1 cup of root beer over the meat, and squeeze out all the air from the bag. Seal the bag closed, and refrigerate 6 hours to overnight.

2. The next day, mix together the light brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, dry mustard, onion powder, garlic salt, celery salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl.

3. Remove the meat from the marinade, and shake off the excess. Rub the meat all over with the spice mixture, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

4. Mix together the balsamic vinegar, 1 1/2 cups of root beer, whiskey, and brown sugar in a bowl, and stir until the sugar dissolves.

5. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and sear the meat on all sides until the meat develops a brown crust, about 3 minutes per side. Place the seared meat into a slow cooker. Pour the balsamic vinegar-root beer mixture over the meat, set the slow cooker to High, and cook for 6 to 8 hours.

6. Remove the roast from the slow cooker, and shred with 2 forks. Discard the bones and all but 1 cup of the liquid in the slow cooker. Return the shredded meat to the cooker, mix in the barbecue sauce, and let sit on Low until ready to serve. Serve piled on buns.

Sizzle aka/ Out of the Kitchen and onto the Grill

There is a plethora of interesting recipes out in the "cloud". I choose a few that I like to cook when I want to keep it simple and enjoyable. I invite a few friends and serve with wine, beer and some fresh air!

Grilled Shrimp with Oregano and Lemon

SERVINGS: 8

1. 1/2 cup salted capers—rinsed, soaked for 1 hour and drained
2. 1/2 cup oregano leaves
3. 1 garlic clove, minced
4. 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5. 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
6. 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
7. Freshly ground pepper
8. 2 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
9. Salt

1. On a cutting board, finely chop the drained capers with the oregano leaves and garlic. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, along with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Season the sauce with pepper.
2. Light a grill. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Thread the shrimp onto metal skewers and grill over high heat, turning once, until the shrimp are lightly charred and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the skewers and transfer them to a platter. Spoon the sauce on top and serve.

The sauce can be refrigerated overnight. Bring it to room temperature before serving. This sauce is also delicious on any variety of thick cut fish (swordfish, mahi, etc.)

 Bacon and Roquefort Stuffed Burgers   4 servings

You can substitute bleu, gorgonzola, or feta for the Roquefort cheese. 

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 4 ounces Roquefort or other blue cheese, crumbled

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 4 hamburger buns, split and toasted 1 tomato, sliced 1 red onion, sliced 4 leaves lettuce

1.	In a large bowl, lightly mix the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper. Divide into 8 equal portions and flatten each one into 1/4 inch thick patty. In a separate bowl, combine the crumbled bacon, Roquefort cheese and thyme. Place an equal portion of the bacon mixture onto 4 of the patties. Top with the remaining 4 patties, pressing the edges together to enclose the filling.
2.	Preheat a grill for medium heat. When hot, lightly oil the grate.
3.	Grill the patties for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Serve immediately on toasted buns, topped with tomato, onion and lettuce.