For me, the taste of summer starts with a radish sandwich. There is nothing better than the crisp crunch of a sweet, tangy, freshly picked radish, thickly sliced and placed between a couple of slices of buttered bread with a sprinkle of salt.
Or roll the bread around several fresh picked radishes.
Used as a garnish or ingredient, the bright red and white Red Globe radish adds colour to salads, vegetable trays and entrées. Their crisp texture and peppery flavour enhances food they are combined with.
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On their own, radishes are a healthy snack with a half cup (125 mL) having only 10 calories, some vitamin C and a small amount of fibre, iron and calcium.
VEGGIE BAGEL OR WRAP SANDWICH
This is a step up from a basic radish sandwich.
- 1 bagel, sliced in half or 1 whole wheat tortilla
- 1/4 c. cream cheese 60 mL
- 1/4 tsp. fresh lime juice 1 mL
- 1/4 tsp. balsamic vinegar 1 mL
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 3 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/4 c. fresh spinach or other spring greens 60 mL
- 3 slices tomato (optional)
Toast bagel if desired. Mix the cream cheese, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Spread the mixture evenly over one of the bagel halves or on the tortilla. Arrange the radish slices, spinach or greens and tomato on top of the cream cheese. Top the sandwich with the remaining bagel half, or roll up the wrap. Adapted from allrecipes.com.
RADISH AND SPINACH SALAD
This salad is a nice combination of two early garden vegetables.
- 1/4 c. vegetable oil 60 mL
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice 15 mL
- 2 tsp. grainy mustard 10 mL
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp. dried dill weed 1 mL
- 1/4 tsp. salt 1 mL
- 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 mL
- 6 c. spinach leaves, torn 1.5 L
- 1/2 c. radishes, sliced 125 mL
- 1/2 c. Swiss cheese, shredded 125 mL
- 1 carrot, thinly sliced
- 2 – 3 sprigs of fresh chives, chopped
Whisk together vegetable oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, dill weed, salt and pepper. Add spinach, sliced radishes, cheese, carrot, and chive. Toss and serve immediately. Makes four servings. Adapted from www.canadianliving.com.
CANADA DAY RADISH and POTATO SALAD
- 28 small new red potatoes, (about 3 lb/1.5 kg)
- 12 radishes
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion 125 mL
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh dill 60 mL
Dressing:
- 1/2 c. vegetable oil 125 mL
- Â 1/4Â c. lemon juice 60 mL
- 1 tbsp. grainy mustard or Dijon mustard 15 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1/2Â tsp. pepper 2 mL
- 1/4 tsp. white sugar 1 mL
In saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook unpeeled potatoes until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Cut radishes in half and thinly slice, place in large bowl. Add celery, onion and half of the dill. Cut potatoes into quarters, add to bowl.
Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper and sugar, pour over potato mixture and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate to chill.
Prepare salad up to four hours before serving. Sprinkle with remaining dill or garnish with radish curls or grated radish. Adapted from Canadian Living Magazine.
RADISH, CARROT, CELERY SLAW
Dressing:
- 1/2 c. mayonnaise 125 mL
- 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar 30 mL
- 2 tsp. sugar 10 mL
- 1 tsp. dry mustard 5 mL
- 3/4 tsp. dill weed 3 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1/2 tsp. pepper 2 mL
- Â 4 c. radishes, grated 1 L
- 1 1/2 c. carrots, grated 375 mL
- 2 celery stalks, grated
- 1 c. red bell pepper, diced 250 mL
- 1 c. orange bell pepper, diced 250 mL
To prepare dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, dill weed, salt and pepper until blended. Combine radishes, carrots, celery and peppers in a bowl. Add dressing and toss to combine.
Serve immediately. Serves eight.
Note: For easy preparation, grate radishes, carrots and celery in a food processor. Depending on size, 24 to 30 radishes will yield four cups (1L) grated radishes. Adapted from ATCO Hall of Flame 2007 cookbook.
RADISH GARNISHES
With their contrasting red skin, white flesh and crisp texture, radishes can be sculptured and curled into interesting shapes to be used as garnishes.
Once the cutting and shaping have been completed, immerse the radish in ice water in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. This will crisp the flesh to hold the shape.
- Curls — Using a vegetable peeler, slice off a thin, narrow strip, as long as possible from around the outside of a radish. Once one strip has been removed, include some of the white flesh along with the red peel for contrast. Roll the strips up as tightly as possible and secure with a toothpick and immerse in ice water.
- Fans — Cut the top and bottom off of the radish. Set the radish on the flat bottom on a cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, cut parallel 1/8 inch (.25 cm) thick crosswise slices about three-quarters of the way into the radish. Be careful not to cut all the way through the radish. Place in ice water and chill for several hours or until radish fans out. Remove and drain well.
- Roses — Cut off top and bottom tip of radish with paring knife. Set radish upright on a cutting board. Cut a thin vertical slice down one side of radish with a fine, sharp paring knife. Cut about three-quarters of the way into the radish. Turn the radish slightly away from you and make another slice, continue around the radish making four to six slices. Make a second series of cuts inside the first set of cuts. If possible, cut a third set of slices. Place radish in ice water until the radish opens slightly.
Adapted from http://recipes.howstuffworks.com.
Radish varieties
- Red Globe – is the most familiar radish, with a solid, crisp white flesh and red peel. It is small, round or oval shaped ranging in size from two to eight cm
- Black Radish – this turnip shaped and sized radish has a dull black or dark brown skin. The flesh is white, pungent and drier than other radishes.
- Daikons – native to Asia, this radish is a large carrot-shape up to 46 cm long and weighing one to two pounds. The flesh is white and juicy and hotter than a Red Globe radish. They are most flavourful in fall and winter.
- White Icicle – has a long tapered root about 15 cm in length. The white flesh is milder than the Red Globe variety.
- California Mammoth White – larger than the white icicle, the oblong-shaped roots are 20 cm long with a slightly pungent flesh.
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
