Friends, we may have our differences. We may come from varying backgrounds, different upbringings, a thousand contradictory belief systems, and the hues of our skin may be scattered with the utmost randomness on this great big color wheel we call life. (Wait. What? That didn’t make any sense at all.) In fact, each of us is as unique as a snowflake, with no two alike, and blah and stuff and things. But there is one thing that we all have in common.
We are all choking on an influx of radishes.
Well, okay, so maybe that isn’t happening to ALL of us, but it is happening to anyone who subscribes to a CSA/farmshare box or grows their own radishes (or, uh, in the case of yours truly, both).
Friends, The Boy and I are inundated with radishes from our little urban farm.
DROWNING in radishes.
GAGGING on radishes.
TAKING BUBBLE BATHS with radishes. (Did I just say the quiet part loud again? DAMMIT!)
The other day I couldn’t find The Boy. I called for him everywhere. Checked under the couch. Called the local brewpubs. Looked in the dryer, just in case he accidentally shrunk himself.
(Note to self: write a sitcom pilot entitled, “Honey, I Shrunk The Boy!”)
I even suspiciously eyed the leftovers in the fridge that had become sentient a week prior. The Boy was nowhere to be found.
So as I sat there, weeping gently to myself in a Victorian gown with an embroidered handkerchief pressed to my eyes as I penned his obituary, I heard a faint gagging sound. Turned out, The Boy had merely tripped and fallen deep into the pile of radishes and was attempting to eat his way out.
Sadly, he failed miserably and we still have all these radishes to eat.
But not to worry! See, it isn’t all bad news because, despite the fact that radishes are more than abundant in our home right now, they’re still pretty delicious, and you could ask for worse problems in life than a never-ending radish supply.
I think.
The ones we grew are the diminutive French Breakfast variety, which means they’re tender, mild, and gone in two or three bites. It also means they’re ideal for stuffing into a buttered baguette and sprinkling with sea salt. Add a glass of homemade red wine, a beret, a Gauloise cigarette between your lips, and a questionable sense of hygiene, and you may as well be in Paris. Ooh la la!
BUT. If you’re at all like me, you’d like some additional options. You know. For when you feel like shaving your legs again.
That’s where I come in as your personal hero. Buddies, comrades, fellow soldiers in this war on unruly radishes, here are some of the coolest radish recipes I’ve come across on the web.
You’re welcome.
Asian Slaw with Roasted Peanuts (doesn’t call for radishes, just for chopped vegetables–I’m trying it with radishes tonight)
Dilled Potato and Pickled Cucumber Salad with Radishes
Radish Cream Cheese Spread (for when you get tired of butter on your baguettes–oh he hahahaha HAHAHAHA BWAHAHA oh ho ho, that was a good one)
Sauteed Radishes and Sugar Snaps with Dill
Spring Radishes Braised with Shallots and Vinegar
Grilled Chicken with Cucumber, Radish, and Cherry Tomato Relish (I could see this being great on fish, too)
Any other great radish obliterating ideas out there? Leave them in the comments section!
Oh, and friends?
Friends?
I think we’re about to have another problem on our hands:
Bring some to me! Yum, they look deeee-lish. My Grandma loves radish sandwiches almost as much as onion sandwiches. On homemade white bread with lots of butter and salt. Good that you picked them before they sat too long in the sweltering heat.
Do you eat the greens?
P.S. snap peas??
Hi! I wish these radishes would hold out long enough to give you some! Do I remember your saying you don’t like snap peas (or just that you prefer shelling peas ’cause they’re so hard to find)? I’m thinking we might have a bunch mid-June!
Your Grandma’s sandwich sounds divine–this is why your grandma is still so sharp and feisty and cool. Because she eats things like radish sandwiches, or onion sandwiches. My mom was telling me that her mother used to just eat thick tomato sandwiches in the heat of summer, with just a little bit of butter and salt and pepper. Sounds fantastic to me.
I do eat the greens! Nobody throw out your radish greens! They’re great sauteed down with a little garlic, butter, and lemon juice. I also just put ’em in a buttered pan, toss ’em around until they’re nice and wilty and tender, and then proceed with making scrambled eggs. Great, painless way to use up extra greens (another thing which many of you are suffering under the load of).
Thanks for commenting, T.O.G.!
But I *do* like snap peas. They just are not a substitute for shelling peas, IMO. Kind of like mushrooms and salmon. You use different kinds (species/varieties) for different things. At least in my world 🙂
Good! Glad to hear you like ’em–hopefully they won’t totally close up shop with this unbelievable heat wave we’ve been having!
Fresh shelling peas ARE amazing, Kari–let’s make a pact that we’ll both grow them next year! We can find some really cool heirloom varieties. Then we can tweet while we sit on our porches and shell them!
Yes! Okay, now spit on your hand and let’s (virtually) shake on it. I can’t wait!!
I tried, but I got spit on my keyboard … was that supposed to happen?
If I had a dime for each time I came here… Amazing writing!
Thanks so much, Derick! Of course, you didn’t finish that sentence about having a dime for every time you came here. Which means, you might only have a dime.
But HEY, I’ll take a compliment where I can get one!
Thanks for stopping by!
I’ve never really warmed up to radishes, but I’ve been thinking this might the year. Mmm, radish-butter-baguette sounds fantastically good.
I’ve been drinking a lot of sparkling wine this season (with plans to drink plenty more!) and I’m thinking something peppery-buttery-crusty like that might make a perfect little bite with a glass of bubbly.
Hi, Elsa!
You know, I think supermarket radishes have ruined a lot of people for radishes. Because they’re usually overgrown, way too hard, and too sharp/hot-tasting. That’s typically because they’re allowed to become overgrown, or because the weather was too warm for them. Radishes, in fact, will even taste BETTER after a frost!
Your sparkling wine idea sounds fantastic–I wish I had some right now. Oh, wait, actually–
See you all next year…
Confirmed! We had a cocktail party last week, and though our friends seemed to enjoy all the more elaborate dishes, the plate of baguette slices smeared with parsley butter, scattered with flaky sea salt, and topped with slices of tiny farmers’ market radishes were a big hit. Also confirmed: a glass of cava goes nicely alongside.
But I must say: the real standout here was the salt. I used a big-crystalled Polish sea salt (though Maldon salt would do nicely) because it’s what I had on hand. It’s always gratifying to see what a difference it makes, even when there’s just a trace of it in the dish. A friend bit into her radish tartine and immediately said, “Mmmmm! What kind of salt is this?”
So glad to hear it, Elsa–I wish I’d been at your party!
I loove when things come topped with a sprinkling of sea salt–my favorite sandwiches tend to be made on sea salt ciabattas…yum. I have a secret fantasy of one day having a salt collection all lined up on my counter in pretty, clear mason jars with apothecary labels. Until I have the cash to finance that dream, though, sea salt and kosher will have to do!
Thanks for letting me know how it went over!
Gen