Fresh from the garden.
RADISHES
I love growing radishes, they grow quickly from seed, they are beautiful and can be eaten raw or cooked. A really simple delicious appetizer: wash and trim radishes, serve with softened high quality real butter and a small dish of coarse sea salt. Dip a radish in the butter and then the salt, pop in your mouth and enjoy the taste explosion, spicy, crunchy, silky and salty.
1. Remove and discard leaves and tops. Refrigerate radishes in a plastic bag for up to 1 week.
2. Wash radishes and trim both ends just before using.
3. For added crispness, cover radishes with ice water and refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. Most of a radish’s heat is in the skin — peel for a milder flavor.
5. Try radishes thinly sliced, sauteed quickly (just until crisp tender) in butter or olive oil, and season simply with a dusting of sugar, pepper and salt. Or try this recipe from Lynne Rossetto Kasper from The Splendid Table radio program.
Sauteed Radishes in the French Style
Serves 6
Use organic ingredients if possible and serve the radishes with sauteed scallops, lobster or salmon.
- 2 tablespoons good-tasting unsalted butter
- 2 bunches small red radishes, trimmed of greens and tips
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup dry white vermouth
- 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
Melt the first quantity of butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the radishes and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Sauté 3 minutes. Add the vermouth and stir until all of it has cooked away, about 3 minutes. Toss the radishes with the second quantity of butter and tarragon and serve hot.
Copyright 1999 Lynne Rossetto Kasper
