Rethink the humble radish with these bright, spring recipes

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“Why are you talking about radishes?” a friend asked when I told her about this article. “I hate radishes,” she proclaimed. “At least, I think I hate them.” And that’s exactly why I decided to focus on this spring vegetable, the one that is quite often the first annual to appear in many gardens and farmers markets, and almost always vastly misunderstood.

Despite its reputation (spicy, peppery, harsh), radishes come in many shapes, sizes, colors and flavor profiles. Some are sweet and mild, others sharp and hard-hitting. Some are white, tinged with strawberry red, others pink and white striped or green and pink striped. Shapes range from round and tiny, like a dime or large and long like a fat cigar. There is way more to radishes than you might guess.

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You can eat them raw (whole or sliced), roast them in olive oil (they become sweet, mellow, almost buttery), sauté them in butter (again, sweet, tender and almost like a turnip), grill them, sauté or stir-fry them.

Radishes are also a good source of vitamin C and fiber. They are a member of the brassica family, along with cabbage, Brussels sprouts and turnips.

• Red or table radishes (also called Cherry Belle radishes) are round and red with a white interior. These are the most common types of radish. Look for them in spring when they are freshly harvested and small and sweet. When they get bigger, they develop a sharper, more peppery flavor.
• Easter egg radishes are essentially exactly the same as red radishes but come in a variety of hues, like pink, red, purple and white.
• French breakfast radishes are small to medium-sized, pink or slightly red and white, and tend to be oblong. They are prized for their mellowness. A classic French-inspired combination is serving whole radishes with room temperature (good quality) butter and coarse sea salt. Alternatively, you can make a delicious open-faced sandwich by placing thinly sliced radishes on a piece of crusty baguette, smothered with butter and then sprinkled with coarse sea salt.
• Watermelon radish is a stunner. It has a pale green or white outside, and the interior is a deep red. When you slice it and get the green or white slices with the red interior, it makes a dramatic presentation. These radishes are milder than red radishes and crisp. They’re great for layering on sandwiches and tacos or pickling.
• Daikon radishes look like fat, large white carrots. They offer a crisp texture and are sweet and also slightly peppery. They are almost juicy when you slice them and are great pickled or used in stir fry and salads. Daikon comes from a Japanese word: ‘Dai’ means ‘big’ or ‘great,’ and ‘kon’ means ‘root.’ Unlike most radishes, which appear in spring and summer, daikon appears all year long.

Here are some new radish recipes that give you a glimpse into the vegetable’s range of flavors, textures and cooking techniques. I think my dubious friend is about to change her mind on the humble radish.

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This dip/salad is a spectacular variety of spring colors, textures and flavors. Radishes are prepared three ways: roasted (yes, I said roasted; roasting turns them buttery and mellow), thinly sliced peppery raw radishes, and finally crisp, quick pickled radishes (see recipe below).

This dish can be served as a dip or “salad,” or as a side dish to grilled fish, vegetables or meat. You can also serve roasted radishes on their own as a side dish to any lunch or dinner.

Serves 2 to 4.

Ingredients

The radishes:

• 16 small radishes, the size of a dime, left whole with a bit of green leaf still attached, or 10 larger radishes, cut in half or quarters depending on the size
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 small to medium-sized red or Easter egg radishes, thinly sliced
• 6 to 8 pickled radishes, see recipe below

The green yogurt sauce:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt or plain whole-fat yogurt
• ¼ cup chopped chives, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
• ⅓ cup parsley, chopped
• 2 scallions, ends trimmed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Roast the radishes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small ovenproof skillet, toss the 16 small radishes with the oil, salt and pepper. Roast on the middle shelf for about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size, or until soft but not mushy when tested with a small, sharp knife. Remove from the oven and let cool; do not discard the oil in the skillet.
2. Make the green yogurt sauce: In a blender or food processor, mix the yogurt, ¼ cup chives, parsley, scallions, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper if needed. The sauce can be made a day ahead of time and should be chilled until ready to serve.
3. To serve: Spread the yogurt sauce on the bottom of a medium-sized serving plate. Arrange the roasted radishes, the raw radish slices and the pickled radishes on top, alternating each variety. Spoon the oil from the bottom of the skillet on top and sprinkle with the remaining chives. Serve cold or at room temperature.

These pickles will be ready to eat in an hour or will last, covered and refrigerated, for about a week. Serve them as a snack, as part of a cheese platter, or in salads, tacos, chopped into dressings, on soups and stews to break up richness.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• ⅔ cup vinegar (I used ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar and ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar)
• 10 peppercorns
• 10 coriander or fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons kosher or canning salt
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 small bunch radishes, about 9 ounces, left whole if small or cut into half or quarters if large
• 1 small onion or shallot, peeled and thinly sliced

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized non-reactive saucepan, mix the water, apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar (if using), peppercorns, coriander seeds, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat.
2. Place radishes and onions in a 2-cup mason jar or any jar with a sealed top.
3. Pour warm pickling liquid on top. Let cool to room temperature. Seal the top and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. The pickles will keep for about a week.

As we get into warmer weather and grilling season, this is a new flavor profile for a salad or side dish to any grilled food. Colorful, crisp and refreshing, serve this simple slaw with grilled or roasted fish, poultry, or meat, or with rice dishes.

Makes about 4 cups; serves 4.

Ingredients

• About 1 medium or ½ large daikon, about 9 ounces
• 3 ounces snow peas
• ½ large red pepper, or 1 small
• ½ cup rice wine vinegar
• ¼ cup sesame oil
• Generous pinch salt
• Grinding black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar

Instructions

1. Peel the daikon and cut into 3-inch pieces. Cut each piece in half and then cut into thin julienne strips.
2. Trim the ends of the snow peas and cut into thin slices lengthwise.
3. Trim the end of the pepper and remove any white ribbing inside. Very thinly slice the pepper, lengthwise.
4. In a medium serving bowl or rimmed plate, toss the daikon, peas and pepper.
5. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and sugar. Spoon over the vegetables and let sit for about 20 minutes. The slaw will keep for 24 hours, but after that, the texture will soften and be compromised. Cover and refrigerate if marinating for more than 20 minutes.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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