The First Thing You Should Do With a Bunch of Radishes
Mildly spicy radish served with butter and a little salt flakes is one of my favorite vegetable-based snacks. Crispy, fresh and rich at the same time, this is the perfect spring snack. The root is so delicious that it’s easy to forget the greens at the top, but those greens deserve your attention too, especially if you want to avoid porridge-like porridge.
Why you always need to clean radish greens
The first thing you should do with a bunch of radishes before tossing them into the vegetable drawer is to remove those greens. If left attached, the leaves will continue to draw moisture from the root, causing radishes to shrivel and mushy greens. And when I say soft, I mean almost liquid. The leaves disintegrate into a puddle of green goo, making the idea of eating the radish they were tied to completely unappealing.
What to do with radish greens
Luckily, radish greens are completely edible if you handle them with care (and separate them from the radish before they turn into mush). Unlike roots, herbs don’t last long, so use them within three days of purchase.
To prepare radish greens for storage, cut them from the root and wash them by dipping and swirling them in a bowl of water to remove grit and dirt. Dry thoroughly (a salad bowl works best), then store in a zippered plastic bag with paper towels for up to three days.
How to cook radish greens
The taste of radish greens depends on which radish it is obtained from. The longer the radish ripens, the bitterer its greens will be. (Daikon greens and watermelon radish greens are quite bitter for this reason.) Young, tender greens can be used raw in salads and sandwiches (just season them first ), but older, tougher greens can have a fuzzy outer layer, which makes it unpleasant to use. eat without additional preparation.
Here you have two options: cook them – sautéing works well, as does stewing – or mix them with pesto.
Making radish pesto is the same as any other pesto: mix greens with a little cheese, garlic, olive oil, and pine nuts. I follow the same pattern for a variety of kitchen scrap pestos and it hasn’t let me down yet.
Radish Top Pesto
Ingredients:
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 cups coarsely chopped radish leaves
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (other nuts can be used if desired)
- 1/2 grated parmesan or other salty grated cheese
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt and pepper
Peel the garlic and mince it in a food processor. Add radish greens, olive oil and pine nuts and mix until smooth. Add cheese and beat until combined. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper, stir again to blend, taste and adjust as needed.