Radishes Pickled and Leaf Recipes

For those in my blogging circle who feel like that are experiencing deja vu let me tell you, you are not having an out of body experience.  Over on Our New Life In The Country Sue provided a link up with Karen from Larder Love  who posted this recipe for Sugarless Pickled Radishes back in May.   Hey, I'm blog hopping! Maybe i should start a Blog Hop called "Radishes" and we could all make the same recipe and see how long the above  list of links ends up!  What Fun!  I know, I've lost it.  When the shrink told me to "Get A Life" somehow i think she was thinking something a little more interesting and productive.  Well its all her fault anyway.  If she hadn't suggested starting a veggie garden then i wouldn't have the current glut of radishes.

I love radishes.  Not so much that i want a plate of them, but sparingly sprinkled on a salad  or sneakily inserted in my husband lunchtime sandwich (Surprise!) they are crisp and peppery.  Could there be any easier crop to grow?  You don't even have to harvest them as they literally pop out of the ground when they are ready for picking.  If you don't take the hint and pick them then they get all bitter and twisted, literally.

The variety I've grown is known as French Breakfast and they are sweeter and have less bite than the traditional round fellows i grew up with. Just sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil with a light sprinkle of soil on top, spray of water and voila  (I'm very French today) you have a something to pick and blog about.

Now that I've suggested that we all make pickled radishes, i have no idea what its going to taste like but i wont have long to wait as by tomorrow ill be able to take my first sample.  24hrs is all that is needed for the pickling process but they will only last a week or two in the fridge. Which is not bad as it took such little effort to make them.

For one jar i used this many which makes 200 gms when sliced (finely).

Pickling Syrup.

I used my glass measuring jug to combine 100ml of water, 100ml of vinegar (i used apple cider vinegar because i had it), 1 tsp of sea salt and 1 tsp of honey.  Microwave for 1 minute then give it a stir to ensure the salt and honey are dissolved and then rapid boil for 5 minutes.  I watched it through the window to make sure it didn't explode everywhere (lesson learned).  I had my clean jam jar in the oven at 150 to sterilise it and so all i had to do was drop a few peppercorns and a glove of garlic in the bottom, push in the radish and pour on the hot liquid.  Once lid was screwed on firmly, i upended the bottle and put it back in the oven, turning it off with the door ajar.

Now anyone who has looked at Larder Love know that the photography is just superb, food art.  Surround yourself with the French countryside and village location and you are guaranteed to have great pics.  I tried, OK.

So what else can you do with these little bundles of bite.  You can substitute radish in any recipe calling for Daikon.  Roasting them seem like it might be a winner - toss in peanut oil, roast for 25 min until beginning to brown, sprinkle soy sauce and 5cm lengths of spring onion, roast for 5 more minutes.  Serve with sesame seeds and coriander.  Roasting radish makes it sweet and nutty - or so i am told.  I might try this with the next crop due in a few weeks.  Once roasted it seems they can used in a myriad of recipes, like risotto.

Did you know that radish leaves are chocked full of vitamins and minerals, have no fat or cholesterol.  They can be used like spinach and simply wilted in a pan with olive oil or butter (cook for 10 min). To spice it up a bit, add some minced garlic, red pepper and sunflower seeds to the butter and toss before adding leaves.  Of course you can also use the young leaves in salad.

Grandmothers Radish Leaf Soup
Radish Leaf Pesto
Radish Moong Dal Chilas (Iron Rich Recipe)

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