Ohiofarmgirl's Adventures in The Good Land is largely a fish out of water tale about how I eventually found my footing on a small farm in an Amish town. We are a mostly organic, somewhat self sufficient, sustainable farm in Ohio. There's action and adventure and I'll always tell you the truth about farming.


Monday, April 23, 2012

Relishing Radishes

Have I told you lately how much I love radishes? So, so, so much....these little spring jewels are a gardener's delight. They are easy to grow and first to be ready to harvest. Right now the French Breakfast variety are my favorite.
Beautiful French Breakfast Radishes are oblong and very mild.

But what about all those radish tops? What to do with them? Eat 'em! No, really they are delish. You can use radish greens in place of spinach in just about anything. I've been experimenting all weekend. They are really my new favorite thing. You can also use the baby radish greens from when you thin a row of radishes instead of just tossing them in the compost.

A lovely bunch of greens and mature radishes headed for the kitchen

The trick to cooking greens is to fill your biggest pot with cold water and let the greens soak. Give the greens a couple swishes in the cold water and soon all the dirt and grit will fall to the bottom of the pan. Then just trim them up - cut off the stalk and pull off any bad leaves - and you are ready for business.

I especially loved the tops that I cut off from mature radishes and the baby greens (with their tiny radish-etts still attached) sauteed in bacon grease. Then I chopped up the leftover greens and used them on a pizza. It worked out great. And the greens are not bitter or too spicy - just nice and mild.

What doesn't go with bacon? Use a grill pan to cook greens and bacon for a heavenly treat.

Check out my riff on this recipe....grilled onions and radish greens with bacon, baby. It was to die for. Whoot!  But I didn't need any special sauce with our home made bacon - I just drizzled a little balsamic on it.  I understand that this is served as an appetizer but who am I foolin'? I made a whole plate of it for dinner.

Of course the radishes themselves can be sauteed or roasted. But I love them fresh from the garden, sliced thinly, and on top of fresh bread with butter and salt.  I don't know if the French actually eat them for breakfast, but I do.

Any body else lovin' radishes right now?

Happy Monday everyone!

11 comments:

rkbsnana said...

You don't have fresh garden radishes already, do you? Jealous! My non-vegetable eating daughter loves radishes.

Robin said...

I hate to tell you that "The Italian" and I are not big radish fans. I think that I would like the greens though. Great idea to saute them in bacon grease!

Ohiofarmgirl said...

Yep, Rkbs! We have tons of radishes! You can plant them as soon as its not freezing and we've had a warm early spring. They are practically flying out of the ground.

Hi Robin! Have you tried them with butter and salt? I'm telling you - it will change your life.
;-)

freemotion said...

Hmmm, I'll have to try radish greens! Sounds...and looks....delish!

Bobby said...

Plate full of bacon for dinner. Greens on the side. Now that's eating!

David said...

radishes not even in the ground yet. :( but the tops wok nice in stirfry too! Nice going... using the whole thing!

Chai Chai said...

You have already harvested radishes this year? My goodness we just had snow this weekend.

Ohio must be further south than I thought, nestled in somewhere between Alabamie and Missasip I recin.

JeffJustJeff said...

I had to eat the greens and stay alive for a few days to prove to Chad that they aren't poisonous ;-) I call it a 'Thinning Salad' when I go out and thin all the radishes, turnips, and other greens. I make a nice tossed salad with them. It's very yummy. The bacon is making me drool, but our first pig is going to the butcher on Wednesday!!! Fresh pork this Saturday and then cured pork the following Saturday. It's a little bittersweet, because they're kind of big, smelly dogs (that would eat you if you fell down in their pen), but I'm sure the first bite of bacon will cure that.

Ken Broadhurst said...

Use radish greens instead of basil to make pesto (olive oil, garlic, grated cheese). They're great. They also make good soup, like cream of spinach but radish greens.

Ohiofarmgirl said...

Free, they are a taste sensation, I am telling you. wow!

Bobby, thats how we get 'er done around here. ;-)

Dave, I wasnt sure if they would make it but wow they are doing fabulous! Good tip on the stirfry.

CC - we are so far south that someone may be having B&G for breakfast. ;-)

JJJ - TBM still won't try them. But shhh.. I've been sneaking them into his food and he hasn't died yet. ha! Thinnin' salad is a GREAT name! That bacon will be mighty tasty, believe me.

Hi Ken! Pesto? now THAT is a great idea.. thanks!

bighairmiss said...

I ran out of baby spinach for my smoothie. Found some radishes in the veggie bin and here they go! Hope it's as good as you say!

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