I just can't put my finger on it. There is something special about radishes. When I was a kid, I would eat a bag of radishes at a time. I preferred to peal the outsides first, eat all the peals and then onto the cores. Mind you, I did this knowing that I would most likely pay for it later. Maybe it’s my unexplained love for all things cabbage. Whatever it is, I eagerly look for something that is descended from that great brassicaceae ancestor cabbage to devour. Cooking radishes dulls the natural heat and leaves the sweetness while providing a nice mellow cabbage flavor akin to a raw broccoli stalk, but sweeter.
Radishes are relatively easy to grow in the garden, either in the ground or in pots. They are an early and pretty hearty plant. They require loose soil to promote long roots. A small rock or other obstruction could stunt the growth. When the tops of the radishes become visible, I tend to push the radishes down into the soil and cover by ¼ inch of soil. Someone in my family, either my father or grandfather, told me years ago that the radish (roots) are sweeter if they stay out of the sun. I never challenged this directive, and the practice has since become habit.
Chalk it up to an old gardener’s tale. Raw or cooked, I usually have several crops a season.
Breakfast Radishes
1 bunch french radishes, cleaned, trimmed and halved
(or in 1/3ds if large)
1 Tbs. Butter
Sea Salt
Pepper
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the radishes and cook until softened, when the opaque flesh starts to lighten. I season with salt at this point, and when they brown very slightly, I drain them on a paper towel and re-season with salt and pepper and serve.
