Culinary Corner: Radishes

Members of this year's CSA Farm Share with Genuine Faux Farm and/or readers of our blog will receive a treat this summer with a weekly guest blog from Elizabeth Hinds.  Elizabeth is a summer intern at the farm and, as part of the internship, will be sharing her culinary knowledge with us.  She is back in Iowa after time in Vermont at the New England Culinary Institute.  Her final component in her educational process with NECI will be completed by the end of the Summer when she completes this internship.  We are pleased to have Elizabeth 
working with us this Summer and hope everyone enjoys the ideas she is looking forward to sharing with us.

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Most people love them or leave them. There are some, like me, who like them really spicy. Radishes get their spice from the same component that gives horseradish and wasabi their kick. For those who like things a bit milder, the spice of the radish can be very off-putting. But fear not! There are many ways to reduce the heat and leave the refreshing crunch the radish is well loved for.

French Breakfast radish

Heating up the radishes, like in my grilled radish recipe below, removes most of the heat and makes a great side dish for your summer grilling. If you prefer to eat them raw, you can soak the radishes for 20 minutes in cold water and that’ll take care of any spiciness.

 

These radishes are just heated up on the grill then slathered in butter, much like you might prepare corn on the cob. They’re the perfect side dish or snack, and a good size for little fingers!

 Grilled Radishes with Butter and Sea Salt

• 1 bunch radishes (~15)
• 1 tbsp butter                 
• Flaky sea salt, to taste  

Trim the leaves off of the radishes, leaving a little nubbin of green on top. Slice any large radishes in half lengthwise so all the radishes are about the same thickness.

Place a metal roasting rack (or the cooling rack you use for baking) on the grill grates so they run perpendicular to each other, forming a checkerboard pattern. This will prevent small radishes from falling through. Grill the radishes over hot coals (or about 375⁰ on a gas grill) for about 5 minutes, or until they’ve just started to soften. The radishes will still be crunchy, but the heat from the grill removes most of the spice and gives the radishes a light smoky flavor. Toss the radishes with the butter, and serve with a sprinkle of salt.

Shaved radishes are showing up everywhere in restaurants as a garnish that adds a pretty pop of color to virtually any dish. They add a wonderful crunch to sandwiches and are the perfect addition to almost any salad. The easiest way to shave radishes is with a vegetable peeler. Just hold one end down with a fork as you shave off thin slices that are the perfect thickness for garnish and crunch.

Lastly, I love pickling radishes and using them as a sweet and tangy taco filling (my favorite is pork tacos!). Sort of like the grilling method, the spice is tempered by the hot pickling liquid. Adding hot liquid to the radishes reduces the spice, but also gives them a quick infusion of sweet and tangy flavor. Putting them in the fridge right away cools them off quickly enough that you retain a nice crunch.This is what is known as a “quick pickle” As soon as it cools, it’s ready to eat (about 30 minutes total).

• 1 bunch radishes (~15) 
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar 
• ¼ cup sugar 
• ½ tsp salt 

Trim the greens off the radishes and slice any large ones in half lengthwise. Place in a quart-sized canning jar or other heat-proof container. In a small pot, bring the vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil, stirring frequently at first to keep the sugar from burning to the bottom. As soon as it reaches a boil, remove from the heat and pour over the radishes. Cool, uncovered, in the fridge. They are ready to eat as soon as they’re cool.

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Now, take three guessed to figure out one of the things that will be in your shares this week!  (The first two guesses don't count, so feel free to have some fun with the guessing.)  You will find additional options for preparing your radishes on our website!