Radishes!

September 27, 2011

Recipe #1 on the blog! It features radishes, both the greens as well as the bulbs! Well, it's actually 2 recipes. One is from Martha Stuart and the other from Food & Wine. 

This summer, I joined a produce share at my local grocery store, The Green Grocer. This is my first time partaking in something like this, so it has been adventurous to say the least. What I enjoy about it is that it allows me to cook things I normally would never before: the leafy part of a root vegetable. In my previous cooking life, I would have just practiced the good old 'merican tradition of chucking that right into the trash, along with disposable plates, napkins, silverware, etc. But, I decided the landfills are making enough money off of me, and that the leafy part might be actually good.

But, how to eat it? Luckily, the Green Grocer sends recipes to go along with the produce. This week featured "Radish Greens Soup," it's very similar to potato leek soup, but with a slight sharp kick from the radish greens.

But, cutting off the greens, I am left with the radishes, as well as a half a bag of potatoes, so I found "Baby Potato Salad with Radishes and Celery" that would use the rest of my ingredients. The potato salad had a very light white wine vinegar dressing, which was perfect for warm, late summer evening (I know the blog date is January 23, but I made this September 27. Yes, apparently it takes me 4 months to write a couple paragraphs)

Finally, before we get to the good part (the actual recipe!) I decided to pair the Raphanus sativus laden meal with a bright and earthy Cava. I had the Argila Cava from Mas Bertran in the Penedès region in Spain.

Radish Greens Soup

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 bunches radish greens (about 2 cups), cleaned
• 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into1/2-inch dice
• 4 1/2 cups Vegetable Stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
•  3 radishes, thinly sliced

Directions

1. In a medium stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in onions, and saute until transparent, about 4 minutes. Add radish greens, and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes and chicken stock, and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.
2. Working in batches, pass the mixture through a food mill into a medium bowl. Stir in cream, and season with salt and pepper. Strain the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the original pot. Bring soup just to a simmer over medium heat. Serve garnished with radish slices.

Baby Potato Salad with Radishes and Celery

Ingredients

• 3 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes or fingerling potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup
• White wine vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 celery hearts, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 2 bunches radishes, thinly sliced
• 8 small scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced (1 cup)
  
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Slice the potatoes 1/2 inch thick.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in the potatoes and celery. Let stand at room temperature until cool, about 30 minutes. Just before serving, fold in the radishes and scallions and season with salt and pepper. 
     

  Radish Greens Soup: (http://www.marthastewart.com/315163/radish-greens-soup?czone=food/produce-guide-cnt/spring-produce-recipes&backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/radish-recipes#slide_21)

  Potato Salad with Radishes: (http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/baby-potato-salad-with-radishes-and-celery)