Horseradish grows an unassuming leafy top that gives no hint of the fiery, sinus-clearing root hiding underground until it's dug up, grated, and released.
A tough, cold-hardy perennial in the same family as mustard and cabbage, horseradish is so easy to grow that it can become a permanent, spreading fixture in a garden bed if a piece of root is ever left behind after harvest.
Horseradish tolerates a wide range of conditions and spreads readily, so many gardeners plant it in a bottomless container sunk into the ground to keep its roots contained. Harvest roots in fall after the first frost, when the fiery flavor is at its strongest.
Grate horseradish root in a well-ventilated area — the volatile compounds released are strong enough to sting eyes much like a cut onion, only more intensely.
