mustard!

i have been talking about making mustard forever. i knew it wouldn't be hard. i also knew that, with a large bag of mustard seeds in the cupboard, i probably wouldn't even have to buy anything to make a basic mustard. i looked up recipes online, i looked up recipes in cookbooks and ooh-ed and ahh-ed over them. it's been going on for quite some time now. well finally i actually did it! i think it was the combination of seeing a recipe while flipping through bon appetit for a delicious sounding mustard with bratwurst bites and well it just so happened i made a batch of vegan sausages the other day that were chilling in the fridge begging for some beer and horseradish* mustard. the recipe calls for lager but i used modelo, i don't think it really matters. also, when looking for prepared horseradish make sure you don't get the kind loaded up with cream and eggs, just plain old horseradish. anyway, this is yummy with some kick from the horseradish but not in an overwhelming, sinus clearing way.

beer and horseradish mustard
(from bon appetit, october 2009)
ingredients:
(makes about 1 cup)
1 cup beer, divided
2/3 cup malt vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/3 cup whole mustard seeds (brown or yellow)
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1/4 cup prepared white horseradish
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, finely ground
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

whisk 1/2 cup beer, malt vinegar, mustard seeds, and dry mustard to blend in small bowl. let mixture stand at room temperature 3 hours.

transfer beer-and-mustard-seed mixture to blender; add remaining 1/2 cup beer, horseradish, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, honey, and ground caraway seeds; blend until coarse puree forms. transfer mixture to medium metal or glass bowl. set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and whisk often until mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes (mixture will be thinner and more sauce-like than store-bought mustard). transfer mustard to small saucepan and add cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water; whisk over medium-high heat until mustard thickens and boils, about 2 minutes. transfer mustard to airtight container. cover and chill until cold. will keep in the fridge for about a week.

*horseradish, much like sauerkraut, is a food i never liked. i think my change of heart towards the kraut inspired me to give horseradish another go. and i like it! i mean....i wouldn't eat spoonfuls of it but it's much better than it was when i was a kid choking it down on a piece of matzoh at our passover seder ever year. that was the worst.

-d