In Good Taste: Relishing the Radish
What a pretty little thing, the radish, all blushing pink and red, and so full of mystery. Will it bite? Or will it taste like the radish of your summer dreams? Crisp as crisp and slightly spicy, yet not too strong on the aftertaste, it cries out for some flakes of salt and two slices of the freshest buttered bread.
Radishes were eaten in ancient Rome and Greece, and also used to pelt politicians, as we might use rotten eggs today. Mmmm. Sir John Chardin wrote in his book, Travels In Persia, "They use nothing to whet their appetites, but some slices of lemon, and a few strong herbs, of which they put a little before every one, with a radish or two".
This custom of eating tiny bites to "whet the appetite", though Turkish in origin, dates back to Greek antiquity. Plato, the Greek philosopher who lived in the fourth century BC, described small portions of olives, fresh garbanzo beans, almonds, figs, radishes and briny cheeses.
In Italy, the rule that you don't take uneaten food home with you from a restaurant has an exception, radish stems, which you might want to fry with garlic for your breakfast tomorrow morning. Of course!
And Rudolf Steiner wrote this very complimentary piece in his book on nutrition and stimulants: "One can say radishes stimulate thinking. And one does not even need to be very active oneself, the thoughts simply come when one eats radishes-such strong thoughts that they even generate powerful dreams."
So pop some seeds in now! They are the fastest vegetable to germinate, taking just 25 days from sowing to the first harvest. For the child with an interest in gardening, planting their very own row of radish seeds-for which they alone are responsible-brings rapid joy. Watering (the fun bit for kids) will keep the radishes sweet and mild, and as they rise from the earth as if by magic overnight, your child will be enthralled by nature in action.
In the kitchen this vegetable deserves some imagination. As Jane Grigson said: "It's an insult to radishes to bury them in a salad", and I totally agree. Although most often eaten fresh, they can also be sautéed with their leaves, steamed, or added to soups and stir-fries. I add them to tabbouleh with sliced toasted almonds, and scatter slices over spicy couscous salads, and of course they add colour to a platter of raw vegetables with a bowl of aioli or hummus to dip into. Served with crusty bread, this easily suffices as a lunch. A salad of all the reds looks good too-sliced tomatoes, red onion, radish and roasted capsicum served on a white platter with a scattering of fresh basil leaves, ground salt and pepper and a good drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil. Summer on a plate.
Add slices or wedges of radish to your usual salad nicoise or to a simple plate of steamed green beans that have been scattered with some toasted pine nuts. Go for it. The world is your radish.
Watermelon, radish and feta salad
Use about ¼ of a ripe watermelon. Seed, peel and slice.
250g feta cheese, sliced
¼ red onion, finely sliced
3 fresh radishes, thinly sliced (green tops discarded)
Extra virgin olive oil
Splash of red wine vinegar
Layer the watermelon, feta, radish and onion on a platter. Drizzle over the oil and splash on a little vinegar. Season and serve immediately.
Fiona Feasey
