Oh, spicy, crunchy, bulbous radishes, what to make of you? For a long time, radishes just weren’t our bag, but oftentimes, we find that preparation is key to enjoying a food.
When radishes arrived in the Washington’s Green Grocer box to Stacey’s doorstep, she was thrilled! Hang on, back up. What’s this Green Grocer service, you ask? Well, allow us to educate you! It’s a phenomenal service that brings produce to your home or office to certain areas in the Washington, D.C. region and Delaware. Unlike a CSA (community-supported agriculture), you aren’t tied into a weekly subscription. You can sign up for a weekly box if you’d like, but we prefer to get them on demand. A small box of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables delivered every other week is enough for our family of three, though we supplement with grocery store bananas or an apple or two, if needed. Not all of the items in the Green Grocer box are local, but that doesn’t bother us at all. We love South American treats such as mangoes!
That’s the gist of how Washington’s Green Grocer works. Wander over to their website for more details. Back to our radishes.
Radishes a buncha ways:
1) Sliced Radishes with Butter and Sea Salt – No recipe necessary. Slice radishes and put on a serving tray/plate. Remove butter (we love Brummel & Brown) from the container and put in a serving dish. Soften with a fork. Add sea salt, and even some fresh-cut herbs if you want to be fancy about it. Enjoy!
2) Pickled Refrigerator Radishes – Clean a glass jar with a lid, add sliced radishes and set aside. In a saucepan, boil 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 cup of water, 2 teaspoons sea salt and 2 teaspoons sugar or honey until salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and add 1 peeled clove of garlic. Pour vinegar solution over radishes and let jar cool before refrigerating. Depending on the size of your jar and the amount of radishes, you might have liquid left over. Refrigerate radishes for 24 hours before consuming. Will keep in the fridge for about a month. (We used David Lebovitz’s recipe as a guide.) Add to sandwiches, tuna salad or…
3) Pickled Radish Martini – Like your drinks strong? In a shaker, add 2 ounces of vodka (we used Sloop Betty because we think she’s smooth as vodka gets, she’s from Maryland, plus Stacey has a working relationship with the owners), ½ ounce of radish pickle liquid and ice. Shake, shake shake! Pour into martini glass with a couple of pickled radishes. Sip and savor.
DISCLOSURE: Stacey is a paid consultant for Blackwater Distilling, makers of Sloop Betty vodka. The distillery did not pay for this publicity. She doesn’t consult for the Green Grocer, but she sure does think their service is swell.
Do you enjoy radishes? What’s the one food you disliked in your youth that you’ve come to grow fond of since you’ve aged?
I haven’t yet found a way to eat radishes that I really like, but I’ll keep trying. I thought they might be better if I grew them myself, but nope!