Watermelon Radish & Arugula Salad
Top this crisp combination with a garlic-lemon dressing and freshly-grated Romano cheese.
Ingredients:
1 bunch Watermelon radishes, trimmed
2 cups packed arugula
5 tablespoons grated Romano-style cheese
For vinaigrette:
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Slice the radishes into thin rounds. (You should have about 1 cup.)
2. To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, garlic and lemon juice until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. In a serving bowl, combine the radishes, arugula, grated Romano and about two thirds of the dressing. Toss well, taste, and add more dressing to taste. Finish with fresh ground pepper.
Black Radish Salad with Cabbage & Cara Cara Oranges
An excellent side salad to this week’s flavorful stir-fry!
Ingredients:
4 cups green cabbage, finely chopped
â…” cup black radishes, julienned (use less if you prefer your salad less spicy)
1 Cara Cara orange, peeled and sliced into small chunks
¾ cup edamame, shelled (thawed if frozen)
½ cup honey-roasted sliced almonds
Dressing:
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Method:
1. To prepare the salad, chop the cabbage, place in a large bowl and add the julienned radish, orange slices, edamame and almonds.
2. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad, serving immediately.
Sunflower Shoot & Arugula Salad with Radishes & Hazelnuts
This stellar salad from Food & Wine is beautifully balanced with peppery greens and radishes and sweet pea shoots.
Ingredients:
½ cup hazelnuts
1½ tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon minced shallot
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups arugula greens
2 cups sunflower shoots
2-3 Pink Beauty radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
1 fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, cored and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast until they are fragrant and the skins blister, about 14 minutes. Transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a kitchen towel and let cool slightly, then vigorously rub the nuts together to remove the skins. Coarsely chop the nuts.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the Champagne vinegar with the Dijon mustard, honey and minced shallot. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and whisk until blended. Season the vinaigrette with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the arugula, sunflower shoots, radishes, fennel and chopped hazelnuts and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away.
Spring Greens with Butter-Poached Radishes
This earthy salad is beautiful topped with buttery radishes.
Ingredients:
1 bunch Pink Beauty radishes, tops removed
4-6 cups mixed spring greens, such as washed and chopped Little Gem and Tom Thumb lettuces
2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch fine sea salt
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
Method:
1. Slice the radishes in half lengthwise.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add the radishes, cut side down, and a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 10 minutes, until they are slightly translucent and tender, but not mushy.
3. Drizzle the vinegar over the radishes and toss quickly to incorporate. Remove from the heat and drizzle the honey over the top; toss to coat.
4. To serve, make a bed of greens on each plate, arrange a portion of the radish halves on top, and pour the pan drippings over the top to dress the salad.
Roasted Radishes with Brown Butter & Lemon
The sweet, nutty brown butter here lends a beautiful finishing touch.
Ingredients:
1 large bunch medium radishes
1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 450°. Brush a large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Cut off all but ½ inch of green radish tops; reserve trimmed tops and rinse them well, checking for grit. Coarsely chop radish tops and set aside. Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in a medium bowl. Add 1½ tablespoons olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat. Place radishes, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired.
2. Melt butter in a heavy small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pinch of coarse kosher salt to skillet and cook until butter browns, swirling skillet frequently to keep butter solids from burning, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice.
3. Transfer roasted radishes to warmed shallow serving bowl and drizzle brown butter over. Sprinkle with chopped radish tops and serve.
Pan-Braised Radishes & Greens
Pan-braising radishes mellows their spice, lending tender texture to this side dish.
Ingredients:
1 large bunch radishes with greens*
1 shallot, minced
4 teaspoons butter
Water
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley or tarragon, chopped
Method:
1. Trim greens from radishes, leaving a bit of the green stem intact. Place greens and radishes in a large bowl of cold water and let soak for at least five minutes. Remove greens and set in a colander to drain. Dry off radishes and slice in half.
2. In a large sauté pan, melt three teaspoons of the butter and sweat the minced shallots over medium heat for a minute or so. Add radishes to the pan, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in water to almost cover the radishes. Bring to a simmer, partially cover the pan, and cook until the radishes are knife tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove lid and add the greens to the pan. Cover and cook for a minute or two more, until the greens have somewhat wilted. Transfer greens and radishes to a large serving bowl, leaving juices remaining in pan.
3. Bring juices to a simmer, and reduce until no more than a quarter cup remains. Add a teaspoon more of butter and stir to incorporate it with the juices.
4. Finely chop the herbs and add it to the bowl. Pour reduced juices over top and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper as necessary.
*Feel free to use a mixture of this week’s trio of radishes for a beautiful array of color!
Radish & Escarole Salad
This crunchy side is enhanced by a rich, briny vinaigrette comprised of salty anchovies.
Ingredients:
3 anchovies
1½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch radishes
½ large head escarole
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. To make the vinaigrette, chop the anchovies finely and put them in a medium bowl. Add the vinegar, a good pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly to emulsify the dressing. Set aside.
2. Scrub the radishes under running water and trim off the tops and tails. Slice them into thin matchsticks (you should have about 1 cup julienned radish). Put in a large salad bowl.
3. Clean and dry the escarole and slice it into 1/2-inch ribbons (you should have about 5 cups). Add to the salad bowl.
4. Toss about two-thirds of the dressing with the salad, taste and add more if you like. Serve immediately.
Summery Orzo & Corona Bean Salad with Arugula
This orzo salad is always a hit; feel free to swap your favorite summer produce in!
Ingredients:
1 cup orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 cup canned Corona beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
¼ cup each orange and red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cups arugula greens
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
3.tablespoons chives, snipped
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup currants, plumped in hot water and drained
Dressing:
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and garlic, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the cooked orzo and beans with the dressing. Let cool.
2. Add the remaining salad ingredients, tossing lightly to distribute evenly. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (This can be prepped up to a day in advance, though wait to add the arugula until just before serving.)
Shaved Beet, Carrot & Radish Salad
Crisp and crunchy, this colorful salad makes a great picnic dish!
Ingredients:
1 bunch baby golden beets, peeled
4 medium carrots, peeled
1 small bunch radishes, trimmed
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Summer Red Wine Vinaigrette (see recipe)
Method:
1. Thinly slice the beets, carrot, and radishes on a mandolin or in a food processor outfitted with a slicing disc.
2. Toss the sliced vegetables with red wine vinaigrette to coat evenly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, season to taste with additional salt and freshly ground pepper if desired and serve.
Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Radishes & Mint
This wonderful springtime salad gets an extra flavor boost courtesy of crunchy radish slices and zingy lemon zest.
Ingredients:
1 cup crème fraîche or Greek yogurt
¼ cup lemon juice, plus the zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons freshly-chopped mint
½ bunch radishes, trimmed of greens, washed and thinly-sliced into rounds
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Whisk together the crème fraîche, lemon juice and fresh mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Fold in the radishes and snap peas, and then garnish the salad with the lemon zest. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.