THEHUMBLE RADISH seasonal Recipes from our resident Foodie Laura Coate
WEEKEND PICKLE Enough for a Weekend’s Worth
G
iven the versatility of a radish, I’m surprised I don’t grow or buy them more often. Their mild pepperiness perks a salad no end and their soft crunch makes for a crowdpleasing crudité across all ages. (Indeed, it was one of the few vegetables I’d eat as a child, ‘particular’ about food as I was.) The leaves - slightly furry and with a certain zip to them - can also be eaten, thus making the radish the perfect no-waste vegetable. Try making pesto with the leaves, or mixing with other greens in a stir-fry or minestrone. I’d refer to this recipe as a ‘Weekend Pickle’. Prepared in minutes, ready to eat within a couple of hours and with a happy shelf-life of at least a couple of days. I adore it with a combination of smoked mackerel, horseradish and cucumber; or try stirring through some mint leaves before serving with other small, mezze-type dishes.
450g radishes, washed well, leaves removed and put to good use 1 small onion, thinly sliced 90g sugar 1 tbsp fine salt 110ml cider vinegar A few sprigs of dill (optional, but good with smoked mackerel)
Slice the radishes thinly, using your sharpest knife or a mandolin, should you happen to have one. Mix these with the onion in a large bowl. In a separate bowl or jug, mix together the sugar, salt and vinegar and pour over the radishes. If using dill, strip the feathery fronds from the stalks and chop finely. Add these to the radish and onion mixture and stir through. Place the pickle into a sealed container and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours before eating. (If you’ve a mind, give the container a jiggle every half hour or so.) The liquid should turn a soft pink, the longer you leave it.
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