They may not be the most glamorous vegetables around, but radishes certainly know how to make their presence felt. That crisp totally unique flavor livens up any salad, and some of them are good enough to eat on their own with your morning coffee. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino, there certainly are no shortage of varieties when it comes to radishes.
Radishes originated in China and were present in Europe in pre-Roman times. They proved to be easy to grow and became staples of the diet. Today's radishes come in hundreds of varieties and grow year-round. The flavor ranges from intensely spicy and peppery to mild and fresh tasting.
In Maryland there are a great number of varieties coming to the market. The premier radish is the well-known Cherry Belle, a small round, red radish with a long white root.
The Easter Egg radish comes in a range of colors, running from light purple to pink to dark red, all with a white tip.
The long, elegant French Breakfast radish has become quite popular. As its name implies, it is mild and crisp, perfect for an early morning munch along with coffee and a croissant.
The watermelon radish is surprisingly similar to its namesake. This larger radish is green and white on the outside, but watermelon pink on the inside. The
outer skin gives the appearance of a rind, and so the impression is complete.
The Daikon is an Asian variation, and is by far the largest radish of them all. It's not unusual to find examples that are up to 12" in length. The mild flavor is perfect for stir-fries and soups.
Among the dozens of other radishes we might encounter, the range in color is impressive. Everything from white to purple to crimson to near black is out there.
One trick for dressing up a salad is to choose two or three different color to mix in with your greens.
Radishes are almost always eaten raw. That way the pure flavor is at its best. But they can be sliced up and sautéed or roasted in the oven. The flavor becomes
milder and richer and texture starts to resemble a baked potato. Garlic roasted radishes seems to be a no-brainer for an unusual but welcome side dish.
Growing radishes couldn't be easier. You plant the tiny seeds in loose soil, water them regularly, and within three weeks your harvest is ready. Smart growers
stagger the plantings, waiting two or three weeks in between. This guarantees a steady supply of radishes throughout the spring, summer and fall.
Here is a great tutorial on planting radishes: https://www.almanac.com/plant/radishes
This is a great article with ten unique radish recipes https://www.acouplecooks.com/radish-recipes/
Brown Butter Radish Crostini
Ingredients
Ice
Water
½ cup (1 stick) butter
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 baguette, sliced into 1" pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
12 small red radishes, sliced very thin (preferably on a mandolin)
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Fresh thyme leaves, for serving
¼ lemon, for serving
Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water, then fit a medium bowl inside the large bowl. Make sure to keep the inner bowl completely dry. (The water should come up to a couple inches below the top of the medium bowl.)
Make brown butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until butter smells nutty and the bits of milk solids turn golden, about 5 minutes.
Carefully transfer butter to prepared medium bowl, add salt, and whisk constantly until butter has a thick whipped texture and has lightened in color, about 3 minutes.
Toast bread: Move oven rack to top position and turn on broiler. Place sliced baguette in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil until lightly golden on one side, about 1 minute, then carefully flip with tongs and broil until golden on the other side.
Build crostini: Spread a generous amount of brown butter onto each piece of toasted baguette, and season with pepper. Top with radishes, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, thyme leaves, and a squeeze of lemon.
