Radishes Are For More Than Making Roses

When I was a girl, I used to stay up all night on weekends playing Barbies with my besties. Like clockwork, we would tip toe into the kitchen around 2 a.m to forage for snacks. We'd look around and I, also like clockwork, would go directly to the crisper drawer. Even as a young girl, I've always loved veggies. I don't know if its from eating fresh picked "cukes" from my great-grandmother's garden or the fact that my mother told me veggies would make me pretty. Either way, I've always loved them. So instead of grabbing the chips, I would choose a few radishes from the crisper and go so far as to wash them, trim them, and sprinkle them with a little salt. Of course when you are trying to hide the fact that you've been in the kitchen from your mom, you can only take a few without being noticed (so I thought). With just a few bright red radishes in a damp paper towel slightly salted, I would eat them slowly in hopes they would last forever. Turns out, mom knew I was eating them and didn't care because I was eating a healthy snack and they were a reasonably priced fresh veggie.

Today, radishes are still just as tasty and just as reasonably priced as they were back then and I still love to snack on them, but I no longer have to sneak them. Radishes are basically an edible root vegetable similar to carrots, parsnips, or turnips. Some varieties have an edible leafy green top. They come in many vibrant colors and are in season most of the year. They grow rapidly making them great starter veggies for a first time gardener. They are rich in ascorbic acid (an antioxidant), folic acid, and potassium. They are also a source of B6, calcium, and magnesium. They satisfy the craving for sweet, spicy, crunchy, and salty--if you add a little salt. They can be cooked in a variety of ways; but, I like them just as they are. You can simply wash them well, trim the ends, and snack away. They make a great addition to salads and can be added as an accompaniment to many other dishes. I like to dice them finely with a little sweet onion and mix them into a vinaigrette. If allowed to set overnight, the flavors will permeate the mixture for a pleasant surprise. Drizzle the mixture over grilled asparagus and let us know what you think.

Radish Vinaigrette

2 tbsp finely chopped radishes

1 tbsp finely chopped sweet onion

1 tbsp cider vinegar

3 tbsp EVOO

1 tbsp honey

salt

fresh black pepper