002: The Cheerful Radish
A year-round delight for the eyes and tastebuds.
Radishes tend to be an afterthought, tossed into a salad for some color or added to a veggie tray alongside hummus, but this seems like a sad end to the life of a cheerful radish. With their crisp, refreshing crunch and vibrant appearance, they deserve to be the hero of the plate from time to time.
Two years ago, I wouldn’t have called myself a radish advocate. White-tipped French Breakfast radishes are easy to grow and taste lovely with some butter and flakey sea salt, but my feelings on these little roots fell somewhere between tepid to indifferent.
It wasn't until I was setting up vegetable displays at the farmer's market that I noticed I had been missing out on a whole world of radishes. We had the little red radishes that you can find almost everywhere, but there were also larger, two-toned green and white radishes, bunches of snow-white daikons, and a whole range of yellow, black, purple, and pink radishes. My interest was piqued. At the end of the day, I grabbed a bunch of the Green Luobo radishes to take home. Like a large French Breakfast, the Green Luobo are oblong and two-toned, with a green shoulder. The texture is denser than spring radishes and the flavor is sweet and spicy. I was immediately hooked.
Radishes fall into two main categories:
Spring/Summer Radishes: These are usually the tender, crisp, small radishes that you can find at the grocery store, along with French Breakfast, Icicle, Diana, or Easter Egg radishes. These should be eaten within a week of harvest, but the fresher the better.
Fall/Winter Radishes: Daikon, Green Luobo, Black, and Watermelon Radishes are common varieties you might find at the farmers market. These tend to be firmer, with thicker skin, and are able to be stored longer than spring and summer varieties.
When shopping for radishes, look for unblemished roots and perky leaves. Avoid anything that feels rubbery or limp. If the roots seem very large and have cracks, they are probably more mature and will tend to be spicier, but these are still tasty cooked, or sliced very thin and added to salads. If your raw radishes have too much bite, you can tame some of the heat by soaking them in ice water.
Every part of the radish is edible: sprouts, roots, leaves, flowers, and seed pods. I add the small, tender greens to salads or sandwiches and have been looking for creative ways of using the whole plant. Radish greens are peppery, like arugula, and can be used raw or cooked.
I was eager to try different radishes but at a loss when it came to preparing them in interesting ways. At times like this I turn to my cookbooks for knowledge and inspiration. Whenever I’m seeking information or a creative nudge with vegetables, I always turn to Deborah Madison, author of the classic cookbook Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Her cookbook, Vegetable Literacy, is less well-known than Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone but it is one of my most frequently used cookbooks. In this book, she categorizes vegetables into twelve larger plant families and provides information and several simple and delicious recipes for each vegetable. It was her recipe for Finely Shaved Radish, Turnip, and Carrot Salad with Hard Cheese and Spicy Greens that gave me the spark I needed. The salad is delicious and I made it so many times over a few short weeks that I soon had the recipe memorized.
One dreary Sunday morning I went to the kitchen to make breakfast. In my refrigerator sat a collection of radishes, some nice butter, and a loaf of fresh sourdough bread. Although a simple radish and butter on bread would be nice, I wanted to fancy it up a notch to help shake off some of the Pacific Northwest gloom. Using the fundamentals of the salad I had been making for weeks, I made a very stripped-down version of Madison’s salad while I toasted slices of the whole-grain sourdough. Each slice was treated to a healthy schmear of butter before I placed the radish salad on top and sprinkled it with some flakey sea salt and ground pepper. This toast hits all the satisfying notes of a traditional radish toast and has become my year-round replacement for avocado toast.
Radish Salad Toast for Two:
2-4 slices bread (depending on hunger and the size of the bread). I like to use crusty whole-grain sourdough, but use whatever sturdy bread you like. You just want bread that is capable of supporting the toppings.
Good butter. I think Miyoko's makes an excellent substitute when avoiding dairy.
4-10 radishes (depending on size) a mixture of varieties
About 1 Tbsp. chives (or finely sliced green onion, green garlic, shallot)
Tender greens, like small radish leaves, arugula, or mizuna torn into small bits
Lemon juice or white wine vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Flaky sea salt to finish
While you're toasting your bread, thinly slice whatever radishes you have on hand - the thinner, the better. Today, I used a mixture of Red Shunkyo, Green Luobo, Daikon, Watermelon, and Black Spanish radishes. Toss with a small handful of whichever tender greens you have on hand, chives, a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Adjust to taste. Butter your toast, add radish salad, and sprinkle with a nice flakey sea salt. Enjoy!
Knowing that the leaves, flowers, and seed pods are also edible, I’ve been experimenting with cooking these less frequently used parts of the plant. Let me know if you’re interested in hearing about other radish recipes that I’ve been playing with in the kitchen.
In the garden: Spring radishes are extremely easy to grow. They’re a great place to start if you’re new to gardening or gardening with children because they offer quick results. Spring radishes grow well in containers and only take about 4 weeks from seed to harvest. Because they are so fast to produce, be sure to continue to plant radish seeds each week in spring and fall to have a continuous supply of radishes. In the heat of summer, spring radishes will bolt and send up flowers and seed pods. Don't despair! These are also edible and make a nice peppery addition to whatever you're eating. We are a few weeks away from planting spring radishes here in the Pacific Northwest, but this year I will be planting my usual French Breakfast. If you have recommendations for a heat-tolerant summer variety, please send them my way.
Winter radishes take about twice as long to grow. This was the first year I’ve grown winter radishes, opting for the round Black Spanish variety. I love the drama of a black radish. The exterior is charcoal black and the interior a pure, snow white. They’re spicy and gorgeous, but I might try growing Watermelon, Daikon, or Green Luobo next fall.
I’ve been working on my inventory of seeds and garden supplies to start this year’s garden. I’m far from finished, but I can tell you right now that I have enough seeds to start a small farm. More on that next week. Until then, take care and eat well.
Can’t wait to try this!! Beautiful