Simple (Salty) Pleasures

The season for one of our favorite indulgences is here - radishes and butter.

1 - trim and clean radishes This requires some discussion. Many people don't appreciate the fact that radish greens are quite nice and peppery in salads. You can cut them off or leave them on as you please.

2 - butter. Quick and easy is to cut the radish in half and spread some soft butter on them. More elaborate is to just melt the butter and dip the radish into it and let the butter cool and set (Silpat in the fridge works well).

3 - salt - have a small dish of coarse salt (Maldon, fleur de sel or whatever kind you have to hand). Dip the buttered radish in the salt and eat.

This is one of our standbys, but many people have never tried it, just like one of our other favorite combinations, halved strawberries with fresh black pepper ground on them.

We generally prefer a nice crisp white wine but I imagine chilled Fino sherry works well and reds as well (speak up if you've done this and have a preference).

Love radishes and butter but we don't do it often, great with fresh bread.
Likewise strawberries with black pepper (or balsamic), not often.
Great unexpected pairings. Undervalued.

[Jenise]

On Thursday night a friend brought over a huge handful of French breakfast radishes--the longish ones with the white tips, still on the greens. She thought I'd slice them into a salad. Instead I rinsed and drained them them and put them on a long plate with pats of butter at the other end sprinkled liberally with maldon salt. "That's a revelation!," she said, after eating them. Even the guy at the table who swears he doesn't eat vegetables "with more than four letters in the name" ate them.

Point is, though it's a widely revered tradition in France it's not well known here in the U.S. My fave wine pairing with radishes? Rose! Also love buttered pumpernickel style bread topped with thinly sliced radishes.

I love the concept for round radishes shown in your first picture. Very clever.

Most people throw away the leaves, but they are nice in a salad and add some pepperiness.

And one recipe I saw but haven't tried yet - make pesto using radish greens instead of basil....

And I agree about the buttered bread - a mandolin and the world is your radish.



Psst - Jenise - you could also make a nice white radish salad (Daikon) as a side for a terrine....just julienne it like you were making a celeriac remoulade.

[Jenise]

Bill, already a fan. I use radishes all the time. Have you ever seen a purple daikon? I sliced one finely yesterday and did a quick pickle on them to make a pretty topping ingredient for Bo Ssam.

Oh bo - sounds good!

Pressure cooker or slow cook?

[Jenise]

Oh bo - sounds good!

Pressure cooker or slow cook?

24 salt/sugar cure followed by six hour roast for maximum crust.

Had a 9 lb roast. Was expecting 15 guests (our Bellingham wine tasting group). Ended up just being four of us. What happened: Erik had to spend the evening with his mother at hospice. Three guests down. Tim's brother OD'd on heroin. Two guests down. And just as they were leaving their house for mine, Allen's wife's aunt died unexpectedly. And there went a party of five. After which another guest, possibly out of a desire to protect close relatives, simply didn't show up.

I'm doing beef shanks for dinner after our Australian tasting (I know, lamb might have been more au point). We should get together and write a cook book. We could call it "Braising Hell"

Love good radishes with butter.
As to greens, great in salads (peppery!) but to me even better as pesto.

Point is, though it's a widely revered tradition in France it's not well known here in the U.S. My fave wine pairing with radishes? Rose! Also love buttered pumpernickel style bread topped with thinly sliced radishes.

I love the concept for round radishes shown in your first picture. Very clever.

I'm with you here, Jenise. First time I had this was in Provence. It was heaven, along side a platter of small clams not larger than your fingertip (what are those called), steamed in white wine with tarragon. Wow! Great memory booster.

Provence. It was heaven, along side a platter of small clams not larger than your fingertip (what are those called

Cockles? Manila clams are also quite small, but I think Pacific only