One of my favorite vegetable families is invisible to anyone taking a casual stroll in the garden. Members grow enlarged, underground roots that gather a wealth of nutrients from the soil and turn amazing colors. I eagerly reach for maroon carrots, yellow beets and purple potatoes when they appear in the market. My most recent fetish has been for the little round ball the size of a shooter marble dressed in Easter egg colors. The radish bears the Greek name for the entire family, radix.
Radishes are a nutritional powerhouse largely overlooked in American cooking. Red radishes appear in a crudités basket at the cocktail hour where their signature hot, mustard flavor and crunchy texture provide a refreshing break between sips. Even in an unpretentious role as a canapé, its black cousin can inspire awe when served on a thickly buttered slice of country bread with a sprinkle of truffle salt. But I digress.
Meanwhile above ground, radish greens offer a rich array of antioxidants as well as Vitamin C and Calcium. Rather than throw them out, the French turn this humble green into substantial soup enriched with chicken stock, potatoes and cream. In summer I prefer to cultivate the mild mustard taste of radish greens wilted with sauteed red onion and green pepper from the garden.
A recipe for stewed radishes as a stand-alone vegetable is a rare find, but Jacques Pepin offers a quick technique that preserves the radish’s agreeable crunch and color while it reduces its heat. This recipe takes less than five minutes cook, and combines steaming with stewing to produce a perfect al dente texture.
Not every bunch of supermarket bunch of radishes meets the freshness test for this recipe. They may be a produce staple, but they are surprisingly sensitive to handling. Avoid roots that have developed cracks and greens that show signs of wilting. Separate roots from greens once you get them home. The greens in particular require rinsing in several changes of cold water to remove dirt or grit hiding among the stems. I spin and towel them dry and prepare them in the next two days before the leaves lose their bright, green color and firmness.
Stewed 'Easter Egg' radishes (or red ones) and their greens make an attractive and unexpected side dish with grilled meat or fish. In my next blog, this radish stew will garnish Crab Cakes served with a Jalapeño Cream Sauce. Stay tuned.
STEWED ‘EASTER EGG’ RADISHES WITH POACHED EGGS
Ingredients for 4 servings:
2 bunches ‘Easter Egg’ or Red radishes
1 tablespoon walnut, other nut oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup diced green pepper
Greens from 2 bunches radishes, cut into 1” long strips
2 tablespoon vegetable broth or water
Salt and ground pepper, to taste
8 large eggs
Smoked Spanish paprika (optional)
Radishes: Trim off stem ends and tails from the radishes and slice slice them 3/4” thick. Bring oil, butter and water to a simmer with salt in a large skillet. Stir in the radish slices, cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the moisture has evaporated, another 3 minutes or so. The radishes should be just tender. Use a flat sieve to remove the radishes into a bowl and set aside.
Greens: Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Sauté the onion and pepper pieces over medium heat until the onions soften. Add in the radish green slices, broth or water and cover the pan for 2-3 minutes to wilt them. Uncover the skillet and stir in the sliced radishes. Cook another minute to evaporate any remaining liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Distribute the radishes on 4 plates.
Eggs: While radishes are cooking, bring a quart of water to a boil. Rinse out the skillet and pour in enough water to come 2” up the side of the pan. Break each egg into a small strainer over a bowl and let the loose albumen drain out. Turn out each strained egg into the simmering water, and cook until the egg yolks are just set, about 3 minutes. Lift out each egg with the flat sieve, and distribute two to a plate on the radishes. Season with salt, pepper and optional paprika. Serve immediately with sliced baguette or English muffins.
