NERD ALERT:
If you ever plant horseradish... be prepared! It makes bamboo look non-invasive!
A few years ago, I tried an experiment and purchased a fresh horseradish root from the store and planted it. Every year for the past three or four years we've had beautiful horseradish leaves and tiny roots. Once fall arrives and the weather turns cold, I'll tell you how we did in terms of harvesting the roots!
For now, we're having a gorgeous bounty in the horseradish area. The leaves are so big and so beautiful, I started to wonder what I might do with them. A bit of research let me know I could treat them like other large, hefty leaves... like kale or mustard... so pasta seemed a fun way to go.
I sautéed a sliced onion in EVOO for a few minutes... added a bit of my homemade Italian sausage, and about two cups of shredded horseradish leaves. I let this simmer for about 10 minutes, then added a minced jalapeño from the garden (seeds and all), and a splash of cream. When the pasta was three-quarters done, I added it to the pan to finish cooking in the sauce. When the pasta was al dente, I turned off the heat, added a sprinkling of grated horseradish, and a shower of Parmigiano.
Wow. The greens are not soft... they are not delicate... but they have a great chew... a great, dark, full, spicy flavor. The sausage, cream and cheese rounded but didn't soften the flavors.
So, grow horseradish! And when you do, you'll have a great supply of these wonderful greens that are so beautiful in the garden...
Yes, this was an experiment. But it worked... like gangbusters, if I may immodestly say so. AND, something we all need not only to think about, but to incorporate into our lives: we have tons of healthy, available, free foodstuffs that we ignore. I'm not a vegetarian - at all - but I have come around to the belief that meat should be more like seasoning, rather than covering 3/4 of the plate. This dish was primarily greens, onions, jalapeño, and pasta... with a bit of sausage for seasoning. Give this a thought. Give this a try!