My parents raised a very healthy eater. When I was a kid, there was no junk food in the house and we almost never ate out. I have a lot of stories about our healthy eating, but this is one of my favorites.
My dad and I loved to snack together while watching TV. I remember he would go to the kitchen and come back with a bowlful of radishes and green onions in one hand and a salt shaker in the other. He would shake a little salt in the bowl and we would take turns dipping the green onions and radishes in the salt. We would eat a bowlful of radishes and green onions just crunching away, all the while thinking it was the best snack ever. Those are some great memories.
I'd love to say that I snack on green onions and radishes now, but as my mom liked to say, "those friends of yours introduced to you all that junk and there was no going back." However, I still do love radishes and green onions and think fondly of my dad every time I eat them.
So, since I can't visit my dad right now, and also because I'm trying my very best to be healthy, I got out my radishes (I almost always have them on hand) and made this dish. Once again, I expected to like this recipe. I did not expect it to blow my mind. But it did! You would never think this recipe would pack the flavor punch that it does, but it's got flavor and texture for days! It's simply incredible.
Now, this is nowhere as healthy as the snack my dad and I used to share, but I sure do wish I could share this dish with him because I know he would love it. The herby butter with the sliced green onions, parsley, dill, salt, and lemon really brings out the flavor of the radishes. This is a light, crispy, crunchy, salty, and flavorful appetizer that hits all the right notes. I think dad and I were definitely onto something all those years ago because green onion and radish really go well together!
So, this is for you, dad. I know you would love this dish as much as I do. In fact, this recipe is going to go down as one of my all-time favorites for this year!
I do have one tip: I loved this dish most when the bread was warm and toasty from the oven and the butter was starting to melt. Something about the contrast of warm bread and cold radishes with the melting herby butter was irresistible! This is going to be something that I make again and again. If you're a radish lover, run and make this dish. You will fall in love!
Radishes with Herby Butter and Salt
Adapted from Food Network
by Ina Garten
Serves 6-8
2 bunches radishes with the tops intact
sea salt
Herbed butter, see below
1 French baguette, sliced diagonally
Herbed Butter:
1/4 pound butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 teaspoons minced scallions
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Preheat your oven to 350F. While the oven is preheating make the herbed butter: Combine the room temperature butter and all the herbs, etc in a bowl and mix with a spoon. Add salt and lemon, to taste. Place in a small decorative bowl and set aside.
Place the sliced baguette on a baking sheet and lightly toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway to toast both sides. Remove the toasts and place the toasts, the butter, the salt, and the radishes on a platter in a decorative manner.
Spread the herbed butter on the warm toast and top with a radish. Or, dip your radish in salt and take turns eating a bite of radish and then a bite of toast with herbed butter. These ingredients complement each other beautifully.
Watch Ina's video on how to make this dish. You can be enjoying this dish in almost no time at all!
Such a lovely memory of childhood. I'm glad you shared that. Our out of the ordinary snack at times was creamy horseradish and OTC oyster crackers.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, your radishes look very good I never see the long ones around here, just the round ones.
Great recipe!
I've never been the biggest fan of radishes but I think I could get into them with this herby butter situation!
ReplyDeleteGuess what I had today: radishes in a salad because they showed up in the CSA box. I'm not big on radishes, but there are so many varieties out there, there are plenty to like. Good food story, Kim!
ReplyDelete