Q–I grated some horseradish, mixed it with distilled white vinegar and stored it in a plastic bowl in the refrigerator. I mixed it with a stainless steel spoon. The next day I planned to put it into jars with more vinegar, but by this time it had turned gray. Do you know what caused this and how it can be prevented? Is it still safe to eat?
Grace Jablonski, Chicago
A–”Horseradish contains some compounds that are biochemically very active,” says Jack Juvik, assistant professor of plant genetics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. ”It`s these compounds that are responsible for both the pungency in horseradish and the discoloration,” he says. ”Part of the color change occurs when the ground horseradish is not quickly covered and refrigerated, so these pungent compounds are allowed to mix with oxygen in the air and react by creating a browning reaction.”
Discoloration also occurs because ground horseradish is high in acid and the oxygenation process–which causes discoloration–is stimulated in the presence of acid.
Juvik suggests a remedy: ”By adding a little cream to the just-ground horseradish, you can neutralize the acidity. I suggest adding a tablespoon of cream to each cup of ground horseradish.”
Because discoloration in the refrigerator will occur eventually, no matter whether cream is added or not, Juvik suggests freezing the horseradish. First, add the cream, then divide the horseradish between several plastic bags, putting only a serving-size amount in each. Secure each bag well with a twister seal and put the bags in the freezer. Discoloration will not occur if horseradish is stored in this manner, says Juvik. The horseradish will stay fresh for several months–even up to a year if the temperature in your freezer is consistent. Your horseradish is safe to eat.
Q–I have an orange custard recipe calling for Grand Marnier. I don`t have any; can I substitute Cointreau?
Rita Morrison, Downers Grove
A–Any high-quality orange liqueur, based on mascerated orange rind (and not flavored with any imitation orange), is a good substitute for Grand Marnier. Add a small amount of cognac for added flavor.
If you`re really in a pinch, grind some orange rind, mix it with a little sugar, a few drops of orange juice and some cognac and your dessert probably will not suffer for it. The exception here is crepes suzettes, which depend on real orange liqueur–and Grand Marnier is best here–for its character.
Grand Marnier, a famous French liqueur with a deep gold color and a sweet, strong orange flavor, is made from dried bitter orange rinds that are reconstituted in water, then steeped in young cognac for 2 months. It is then distilled, blended with 3- to 4-year-old cognac, water, sugar and herbs and finally aged in oak casks for 1/2 years.
Cointreau, another French orange-flavor liqueur, is less sweet than Grand Marnier. This colorless liqueur is made from a combination of sweet and bitter orange rind which is dried, reconstituted and mascerated in pure alcohol. It is then distilled and combined with water and sugar, but is not aged.
Curacao and triple secs are generic names for orange liqueurs. Their flavor is obtained primarily from dried orange rind.
Curacaos are always made with some rind that comes from the famous green oranges that grow on the island of Curacao. Curacao is often orange/amber in color and often contains a combination of brandy and neutral alcohol.
Triple sec is usually colorless and is based on both sweet and bitter oranges, but despite the name (triple sec means very, very, very dry) is no drier than curacao.
Grand Marnier costs about $20 per 25.4 ounce bottle; Cointreau costs about $18; American made triple secs are about $7 (French are more expensive) and most curacaos are about $7. All of these liqueurs come in half-size bottles as well and are considerably less expensive.
Q–What is braising? Doesn`t it mean simmering meat in water until it`s tender?
B.R. Chicago
A–Braising is a cooking process usually reserved for tough meat cuts that need extensive cooking.
There are two steps to braising: First, the food–usually meat or poultry –is browned on the stove on all sides in a small amount of hot fat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Then the meat is simmered in just a little liquid in a pan covered with a tight-fitting lid for several hours, stirred often. This is usually done on the stove, but is more effectively done in a 300- to 325-degree oven.
When food is braised on the stove, the food sometimes cooks unevenly. The portion of the food that juts out above the liquid often ends up still tough while the submerged portion is thoroughly cooked. When food is braised in the oven, however, the even heat surrounds the entire pot and the whole dish cooks more uniformly.
