Radishes are most often eaten raw. Use a stiff vegetable brush and scrub radishes under cold running water. Do not peel. Pare away the top and root end then slice, dice, shred, or serve whole. You can eat the greens too. Radishes add a great crispy tang to sandwiches. Radishes store well in the refrigerator once the tops have been removed.

Toss radish greens (full of vitamins A, C, and B!) into soups or stir–frys. They cook quickly. If they are young and tender toss into a green salad. Same goes for turnip greens!

See also Daikon info page.


Radish Confetti Salad

• 4 large radishes, washed and trimmed
• 1 medium carrot, trimmed
• 1 celery stalk, trimmed
• Six to eight scallions, cut into one-inch pieces
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup sweet rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 6 romaine lettuce leaves (or salad green mix of your choice)

1. Using a mandolin or box grater, shred the radishes and carrots.
2. Cut the celery into matchstick-size pieces. Toss the vegetables together in a medium bowl.
3. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, celery seed and salt and pepper. Pour over vegetables and toss.
4. Serve on a bed of romaine lettuce.

Radish and Squash Papusas
A Central American Recipe by Retu

• 2 c Masa harina (corn flour)
• 1 1/2 c Warm water
• 1 T Ground cumin,-lightly toasted cumin seed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 oz Ranchero cheese, or mild -melting cheese such as Monterey jack, grated (2 cups)
• 1/2 c Chopped cilantro
• 2 cups shredded radish and squash

1. In a mixing bowl, mix together the masa harina, water, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir into a manageable dough.
2. The dough should be soft but not sticky; add more flour if needed.
3. If dough is dry and hard to form, add more water.
4. To make 4-inch round papusas, put about 1/2 cup of the dough in your hand for each papusa.
5. Roll into a ball and flatten in your hand.
6. Put 1/3 cup cheese, 1/3 cup radish squash mixture, 1 teaspoon cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste in the center of flattened dough.
7. Work the edges up over the filling and again form a ball, completely enclosing the filling.
8. This takes only a few seconds.
9. Flatten each ball to about 1/4 inch or less and cook the papusas on a hot, lightly oiled griddle for about 3 minutes per side, or until both sides are lightly browned.
10. Serve warm with salsa or pickled cabbage slaw.

Radish Coleslaw

• 4 cups cabbage, shredded fine (I use green and red mixed)
• 1 cup carrots, shredded
• 10 radishes, shredded
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon malt vinegar
• 1 cup mayonnaise

1. Shred cabbage, sprinkle with sugar and salt.
2. Let set for two hours or longer.
3. Turn mixture over a couple of time while cabbage is leaching its juices.
4. Drain liquid from bowl.
5. Add rest of the ingredients, toss and serve.
6. May be chilled and served the next day.

Radish Hot & Sour Soup
Serves 4-6

• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 T sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground (dried) ginger
• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 oz. sliced radishes, about 1 1/2 cups
• 1 1/2 cups spinach leaves, shredded
• 2/3 cups thinly sliced green onions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring stock to a boil. Stir in vinegar, sugar, cayenne and ginger. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink and curl, about 3-4 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in radishes, spinach and green onions. Cover and let stand 2-3 minutes before serving.


The information below is excerpted from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables: Seasonal Recipes and Stories from a Community Supported Farmby Farmer John Peterson & Angelic Organics (Gibbs Smith Publisher). Check with your local farm or bookstore for availability. Additional recipes, charts, signed copies of this book, and quantity discounts available at www.AngelicOrganics.com/cookbook.

Assorted young turnips (pictured below)

Radishes and Young Turnips
With their bright colors, tidy size, and zesty, satisfying flavor, radishes might make a fun snack food for your family. Sliced or grated, radishes add a wonderful fresh-peppery note to a large range of salads and dishes—yes, even cooked. Tender young turnips often have a mild flavor and a delectable, juicy crispness that can be enjoyed raw, much like a radish. Young turnips are also wonderful cooked, especially in simple recipes that highlight their delicate taste and texture.

Storage
Remove radish or turnip leaves if they are still attached. Refrigerate the unwashed greens in a loosely wrapped plastic bag. Store turnips and radishes dry and unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Handling
Scrub radishes and young turnips well to remove any lingering dirt. Trim off the stems and rootlets. Slice, chop, or mince the roots or leave them whole.



Young Turnip Salad with Apples and Lemon Dressing
Raw young turnips are sweet, with a tender-firm crunch. In this refreshing salad, lemon juice and tart, crispy apples accentuate both of these qualities. For a sweet treat, try tossing in some raisins, or top with chopped and freshly toasted pecans or walnuts. Friend of the Farm.
Makes about 2 cups

• 1 cup peeled and grated raw young turnips (about 2 medium turnips)
• 1 cup peeled and grated tart apples (Granny Smith or greenings) (about 1 large apple)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Toss the turnips, apples, parsley, lemon juice, and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.



Sautéed Radishes with Hard-Cooked Eggs and Spiced Yogurt Sauce
This dish is based on a recipe from Nepal. Cooked radishes add their peppery succulence to pieces of hard-cooked egg in an intricately flavored, currylike yogurt sauce. Served at room temperature with basmati rice on the side, this makes a marvelous lunch or dinner. Friend of the Farm.
Serves 4

• 6 large hard-cooked eggs, halved, each half quartered
• 1 scallion, chopped
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons ghee or butter, divided
• 1 bunch radishes (about 1/2 pound), quartered
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon crushed sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon paprika

1. Arrange the hard-cooked egg pieces in a shallow serving dish. Scatter the scallion over the eggs and season with salt and pepper.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the ghee or butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the radishes; cook, stirring, until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer the radishes to a plate and set aside to cool.

3. Let the skillet cool for a couple minutes, then return it to the stove over low heat. Melt the remaining ghee or butter in the skillet. Add the cardamom, coriander, sesame seeds, and cumin; cook, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning, until they are fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the spices into a small bowl and set aside to cool.

4. Put the yogurt in a medium bowl. If it is firm yogurt, beat it vigorously with a fork or whisk until creamy. Add the cooled spices, cilantro, lemon juice, and paprika; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Arrange the cooked radishes over the eggs and scallions in the serving dish. Pour the yogurt sauce evenly over the dish. Serve immediately.

Forces in Food
If one needs to stimulate one’s thinking then one should use especially the salty stimulant of the radish for instance. If someone is not very active in the head it is good for him to add some radish to his food which will activate his thoughts a little. So you see the strange fact emerges: 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.
—Rudolf Steiner, from Nutrition and Stimulants