Radishes are abundant in our CSA – throughout the season! We grow many varieties including familiar red radishes, purple radishes, bright pink shunkyo (above), green meat, watermelon, and long daikon radishes. Radishes are a surprisingly versatile crop! While always lovely in a salad radishes are distinctly different (and delicious) when cooked.
Roasted. Roast like you would any vegetable. Wash, cut off any blemishes, and dry completely. Drying the vegetables before you roast them is what gives them a nice crispy outside. When completely dry roll them with olive oil, salt + pepper. Bake at 400 or 425 for 20-30 minutes. This would be a great dish to experiment with flavored sea salts or different salt varieties. Check the bulk area at your local natural food store-it’s easy to try out small amounts without making a huge investment.
Looking for a simple supper? Try roasting a bunch of radishes under a chicken like you would potatoes. A few weeks back we had beautiful ruby red colored radishes in the share boxes and I put them under a fresh local chicken with a few pats of butter.
Braised. Try including these in any veggie or meat based stew. I’ve had great results with a red wine based beef stew and a lighter flavored asian style hot pot. Try braising them in butter – with or without the tempeh.
Slaw. Julienne the whole bunch and add them to your favorite slaw! Radishes pair especially well with asian style slaws-add peanuts and cilantro or parsley depending on the season. Try this simple Bok Choy Radish Slaw.
Pickled. My favorite version of radishes is the simplest. Tossed in ume plum vinegar and served in a small handmade dish. I eat this as a snack all year round. If you’re not familiar with ume plum vinegar give it a try! It’s an inexpensive “vinegar” that is actually the pickling brine from japanese ume plums. It has a unique salty flavor and is a versatile condiment to have around. I also like it with lentils and asian noodles. You could also spend a little more time actually pickling these with this quick recipe.
Soup. It sounds strange but radishes make a great addition to any lighter broth based soups. We’ve used them in Summer Vegetable Miso Soup and Fall Miso Noodle Soup. We also have Green Tea Soup. Radishes can also be used as a garnish for heartier soups and stews like chili.
