How I came to love radishes

This Week's Recipe: Sauteed Radishes with Radish Greens

Growing up there was often a bowl in the fridge with radishes floating in water. I don’t know who ate them, presumably one or both of my parents. Definitely not me or my brother.

When I started getting a CSA box many decades ago and radishes showed up, I would pull the tops off and plunk them in a bowl of water and put them in the fridge. And mostly they languished there, and eventually made their way to the compost pile, as I was still not much for radishes. I tried my best to do right by them, but mostly I failed.

Until I happened upon a recipe for sauteed radishes, including the tops. It had NEVER occurred to me to do anything with those radishes than eat them raw. And I definitely had never considered doing anything with the tops – despite the fact that at that point in my life I had branched out to kale, mustard greens and such. It’s funny how concrete our minds (or at least mine!) can be.

Next time the radishes showed up, I was delighted to discover that sauteed radishes taste mild and slightly sweet. And that the greens are very tasty.

No more sad, slimy radishes dying a slow linger death in my fridge.

If you are not a radish fan, or even if you are – definitely try this week’s super easy recipe.

Make new veggie friends,
Kirstin Lindquist

PS Mark your calendar: Spring Group to start April 7th!

• 1-2 bunches of radishes, hopefully with good-looking greens
• Butter or olive oil
• Salt

1. Remove the greens, rinse and lightly chop.
2. Slice the radishes. 
3. Melt 1-2 teasponse (or more) of butter, or heat 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil in a sautte pan.
4. Add radishes and cook over a medium heat until almost soft.
5. Add the greens and cook until wilted
6. Season with salt to taste. 

 Serves 2