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Radish and Herbed Olive-Butter Crostini. Did he say radish? One-Two-Three. Can we all say ahhh...?
Because people don’t like radishes. It's not that they hate radishes they just don't give radishes much more than a passing thought or glance. Usually they are just pushed around the salad bowl in search of prettier pickins. They’re the food equivalent of church lady chaperons at a high school dance. They always seem to be there lurking, but not really invited. But radishes are much more than an unwanted sidekick or an angsty teen wallflower, destined only for the gymnasium sidelines. Because radishes really rock. I know because in high scool I was a radish. Eventually people came around and gave me a second look. So that's what I'd like you to do when it comes to radishes. Start by taking a peek at the indices of your favorite cookbooks. Look up radish. It should be right there next to radiccio, but it rarely is. Poor thing.
So do this for me. Take a second look at radishes. I think you'll admit that there is something special in their fuschia beauty. When grabbed by the bunch they look like a litter of mice running for the same hole. Pink tails sticking straight up in the air with their red butts wiggling under your nose. As cute as they are from that angle. I want you to turn them around. Check out their emerald greens. Good radishes give themselves away in the greens. They should be bright and crisp, not at all wilted. The orbs should be brightly colored. But not necessarily red. There are many varieties available now including pure white and shell pink. There are multi-colored radishes known as Easter Eggs, and there are two-toned varieties too– gradating from a white tail to a nearly purple smiley face.
For today's Market Matters from the Hollywood Farmers Market I chose the smiliest of all the varieties. It's called "Watermelon". For obvious reasons. It's got a strong flavor too– a mixture of sweet and heat, that is super crisp on the tooth. I used them to make a classic crostini of butter and radish on crusty baguette. GREG
Radish and Herbed Olive-Butter Crostini serves 6 CLICK here for a printable recipe
- 16 oil-cured black olives, pitted and finely chopped
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
- 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 baguette, sliced lengthwise and toasted
- radishes, thinly sliced and cut to fit baggueete as needed, depending on their size
- very good sea salt, to taste
In a small bowl mix together olives, scallions, mint, and butter. Season with a pinch of pepper. Spread olive-butter onto each baguette slice. Thinly layer radish slices on top of each buttered baguette half. Season with penty of good sea salt. Slice crosswise and serve.
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living
Greg Henry writes the food blog Sippity Sup- Serious Fun Food, and contributes the Friday column on entertaining for The Back Burner at Key Ingredient. He’s active in the food blogging community, and a popular speaker at IFBC, Food Buzz Festival and Camp Blogaway. He’s led cooking demonstrations in Panama & Costa Rica, and has traveled as far and wide as Norway to promote culinary travel. He’s been featured in Food & Wine Magazine, Los Angeles Times, More Magazine, The Today Show Online and Saveur’s Best of the Web. Greg also co-hosts The Table Set podcast which can be downloaded on iTunes or at Homefries Podcast Network.
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Comments
Wooooooooooow....
OMG how cutely arranged..love it a lot.Yumm :)
A second look
I have to admit I dismiss radishes, generally. But I like heat so I should try to figure out a way to try integrating them in one of my dishes this week. I have never seen the varieties you mention with their vibrant colors. I only see the mice butt ones. Yes, I shall refer to radishes as "mice butts" from now on.
Thanks!!
OMG!!!! Greg, I can't believe YOU visited my page! Your fan is honored!! You've made my day, someone has to pinch me! Thanks for your kind words :)
watermelon radishes!
I love watermelon radishes! I was just eating radishes with butter and salt the other day, and had forgotten how much I love them. Way to go!
You have a wild imagination
You have a wild imagination Greg, those mice, oy!
We love radish + butter, but you've done one better by adding olives. Oil cured, my favorite!
I will keep my eye out for the watermelon variety, thanks for the introduction.
LL
"I know because in high school I was a radish."
"I know because in high school I was a radish." heehee!! I like radishes, when they are drenched in salad dressing. ;) Thanks for the push to try them a different way!
I love simple, clean and
I love simple, clean and delicious crostinis! These look so delish and too beautiful to eat :D
Beautiful in every sense of the word!
I truly enjoyed reading this post. I always loved your metaphores (I could almost swear that we hung in the same raddish patch back at high school, except that we grew up on two different continents:), but comparing radishes to mice made me smile the best smile of the day:)
My daughters love radishes and we buy them often. I have tasted the watermelon radish first time over at Erika's, and it is a thing of beauty.
In Serbia we make a salad of raw, shredded black radish with leeks and I love it, even though it packs a hearty punch. It is interesting that both Brian and you made radishes this week. I am thinking of joining you for that ride:)
The radish black olive butter
The radish black olive butter sounds delicious, very nice on crostini, a great snack!
I didn't love radishes until...
...I had them cooked. The raw ones are spicy to me in a make-your-tongue-feel-weird kind of way. I do love the different varieties, they are all gorgeous and so colourful!
Like a lot of vegetables from
Like a lot of vegetables from my childhood, revisiting them as an adult brings about a whole new appreciation. I was slow though with the radish but have come around. Not unlike peas or brussels sprouts; it's all about the application. Yes, cooked in butter is great but I love them raw if VERY thinly sliced and used in moderation in a salad. And they are pretty little buggars aren't they? :)
That's rad
I bought a watermelon radish yesterday and it is white inside! False advertising? Defective merchandise? Will contact lawyer.
HA.....
I've never seen a radish like that, only the little red ones that are white in the middle. I admit to finding them a little boring on their own, but love them julienned in a salad, and imagine them as a real winner with this tapenade.
So pretty
I would love it all san the mint (I have mint aversion that is quite neurotic). Loves me some radishes, bread butter and salt. You've taken it to an elegant level as usual.
radishes!
I saw a post yesterday on black radishes and I'd never heard of them. I'm one of the people who hasn't given radishes a chance. The last radish I ate was in a salad from radishes I'd started in the garden just so I could see something grow in just a few weeks.
I must do better. This crostini and the radish look wonderful!
Ravishing Radishes
Wow, those watermelon radishes are gorgeous! I just had dinner a place where I got a pretzel roll with goat milk butter and some thinly sliced radishes. Butter, radishes, and salt are a heavenly trio.
From Ordinary to Extraordinary
When a radish is freshly plucked from a Spring garden it can do wonders.
For the love of radish...
If someone doesn't like radishes, they haven't had them cooked in copious amounts of butter, which is my prefered method. I also have a strange fondess for the turnip. It's so misunderstood.
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