This Week’s Highlighted Recipe:

Radish Recipes from Denise Clemons

Radish Butter

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 radishes
• 4 T unsalted butter
• 1 t lemon zest
• sea salt, to taste

Directions: Trim and wash the radishes. Discard the stems and roughly chop the tender leaves; set aside. Thinly slice the radishes into rounds. Set the rounds into a stack and slice into narrow strips; set aside. Combine the butter and lemon zest. Add the chopped radishes, leaves and a pinch of salt. To serve, spread on slices of crusty bread. Yield: 1/2 C.

Photo by Jack Clemons

Roasted Radishes

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of radishes
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 t Balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 t sea salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F. Wash radishes and trim off roots. Cut off greens and remove stems, retaining leaves. Whisk together oil and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Add radishes and greens, tossing to combine. Spread radishes and greens on a baking pan. Bake for until the greens are crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove the greens to a serving plate and continue roasting the radishes until tender, about 5 minutes.

Citrus Radish Salad

Ingredients:

• 12 radishes
• 1 T sea salt
• 2 T lime juice
• 1 T orange juice
• 1T chopped mint
• salt & pepper, to taste

Directions: Wash and trim the radishes. Sprinkle radishes with salt and place in a bowl with enough water to cover. After 15 minutes, rinse and drain the radishes. Whisk together juices and mint in a serving bowl. Add radishes and toss to combine. Adjust seasonings, to taste.

Radish Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches radishes
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 T snipped chives
• 3 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• sea salt, to taste

Directions: Rinse and trim the radishes. Discard the stems; blot dry the tender greens and arrange them on a serving plate. Slice radishes in half and place in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, add chives and toss to combine. Scatter radishes across the greens and shave the cheese over the top. Season, to taste, with sea salt. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Radish Fans

Rinse radishes and trim off the tops and bottoms. Set the radish on its side and cut slices 1/8-inch apart along the side. Cut only about three-quarters of the way into the radish, not all the way through. Place the cut radishes in a bowl with ice cubes and water to cover. Chill in the refrigerator until the radish fans open, usually three to four hours. Drain well and use as a garnish.

Radish Roses

Rinse radishes and trim off the tops and bottoms. Set the radish upright on the cutting board and cut a thin slice vertically down one side, cutting about three-quarters of the way into the radish, not all the way down. Make three more additional slices in the same fashion, spacing the cuts evenly around the radish. Inside the first layer of cuts, make a second series of cuts to form an inner row of petals. Place the cut radishes in a bowl with ice cubes and water to cover. Chill in the refrigerator until the radish roses open slightly, about three hours. Drain well and use as a garnish.

Types of Radishes

Cherry Belle – cherry red with a smooth skin and bright white interior; sharp and snappy flavor.

Easter Egg – a combination of three varieties grown together: Plum (purple), Ruby (red) and Snow Belle (white).

French Breakfast – red with blunt white-tipped bottoms; cylindrical, about 2 to 3 inches long; mild and bright flavor.

Pink celebration – small, brilliant pink globe; pure white flesh with juicy sharp flavor.

Viola – purple skin with white flesh; small and round with a mild peppery flavor

Zlata – silky yellow, medium-sized; round to plum-shaped with a bright white interior; crunchy texture and mildly spicy flavor.

Previous Recipes

• Spinach and Strawberry Salad
• Sautéed Spinach with Garlic and Pine Nuts
• Winter Minestrone
• Winter Butternut Squash Bisque
• 2011 Great Tomato Contest Winners
• Slow-Roasted Heirloom Tomato Gratin
• Orzo Salad with Radish & Cucumber in a Citrus Vinaigrette
• Jeweled Beet Salad
• Pasta with Asparagus, Sugar Snap Peas, and Parmesan Cheese
• Spring Pea Soup
• Winning Recipes 2010 Great Tomato Recipe Contest
• Chilled Sun-Gold Tomato Soup
• Stuffed Patty Pan Squash
• Roasted Beets with Fennel Oil
• Pork, White Bean and Kale Soup
• Roasted Spiced Cauliflower
• Summer Fruit Soup
• 2009 Tomato Recipe Winners Recipes
• Old-Time Summer Tomato Soup
• Arugula and Olive Pesto
• Basic Greens Cooking Instructions/Potato Kale or Greens Soup
• 2008 Tomato Recipe Winner Recipes
• Watermelon, Fennel, Feta and Seasonal Greens with vinaigrette
• Chilled Cucumber Soup
• Fig and Red Onion Confit Chimichangas
• Zucchini Crisp and Light Zucchini Bread
• Corn, Arugula and Tomato Salad
• Red Radish and Arugula Soup
• Chapel’s Country Creamery Zucchini and Squash Casserole
• Crispy Baby Reds with Parsley Salt