We grilled some radishes whole the other night. It worked out better than I expected, with the outside taking on a nice char while the inside soften and sweetened without getting mushy.
Watermelon radishes are a little deceptive from the outside; green on the top fading to a pale white and then pink blushed at the tap root. On the inside they’re a strikingly vibrant red. If you like the spiciness of radishes (they’re pretty spicy), they look amazing thinly sliced on a salad. Otherwise consider a quick pickle for an eye catching garnish.
As fall rolls around, radishes make their return to the shares. We last had radishes back in March, and then I would have recommended eating them raw with a healthy smear of butter. But now with the cooler nights, radishes roasted until soft and juicy would be the perfect side to steak or tossed into a buttery pasta.
A surprise for summer shares. Radishes are some of the quickest growing crops, but typically do best in cool weather. Because of this, they are usually seasonal to both the spring and fall. These ones are a fun mix of red and purple, and taste somewhat mild.
These are the fingerlings of radishes. Skinny and long, they look nice thinly sliced into cute little discs or quartered for something like radish home fries.
We love radishes, but know they aren’t for everyone. The french thing to do is to eat them raw with a liberal smear of butter (so tasty). If you don’t like radishes, try roasting or sautéing them until soft and translucent (but not too long). The spiciness mellows and allows their sweetness to shine.
We love radishes, but know they aren’t for everyone. The french thing to do is to eat them raw with a liberal smear of butter (so tasty). If you don’t like radishes, try roasting or sautéing them until soft and translucent (but not too long). The spiciness mellows and allows their sweetness to shine.
The first time we’ve seen radishes since the first share of the season. If you think you don’t like radishes, give them a try roasted. They develop a nice soft-juicy texture and the flavor mellows.
You had these last time as well. Same deal; they’re zesty raw, which I find delightful but know isn’t for everyone. If that’s you, try slicing them thinly, rinsing with water, and adding to a salad. Its easy enough to sneak in one radish into a salad and an acidic dressing will hide it even more. Another idea is to take advantage of their soft-juicy texture when cooked and use them in a curry or other stew-like dish. Just try to avoid stewing them for more than ~30 minutes. Past that they tend to develop an over-cooked cabbage flavor.
I like to quarter these and roast them until they are soft and sweet, with much of the intense radish flavor gone, but I’m also crazy and love just eating them raw; plain, with a little butter, or as a garnish.
I like to halve/quarter these and roast them until they are soft and sweet, with much of the intense radish flavor gone. If you like it, these are particularly spicy which can be nice raw with butter or something creamy to dip into.
These are some large radishes. You’ll often see daikons pickled in Korean cuisine, and these would be very pretty prepared that way. Otherwise, they do well roasted or sautéed.
