Bread and Butter Radishes

Jana@ Collected Quotidian — Mon, 03 May 2010 11:51:23 +0000

Having had my first real radish just this Friday, I felt it was necessary to spend some one on one time with the vegetable, without any distracting flavors. I was a little apprehensive, in the same way you would be if you had met Someone in line at the grocery store and decided to go out to dinner together. Sure, he’s charming now, but can he sustain hours-long conversation? Or will his wit just rub off like peach fuzz, leaving a tough leathery skin? I had similar concerns for the radish. I liked what I’d tasted so far, but then again, there’s very few things that would taste bad straight out of the field in the middle of a long hot day of farming. Kind of like how anybody could be charming compared to vapid magazine covers and bored check out clerks in a grocery line. Would my radishes be able to sustain their beguiling quality away from the farm? More importantly, would Mr. Quotidian like them?

Yes and . . . Yes! I decided to start simply on Sunday morning with buttered toast and radish slices. I’d heard of people making radish sandwiches before and thought it would be a good way to ease Mr. Quotidian, always the skeptical one, into the company of radishes. It worked. I was even surprised by how good they were. The creaminess of the butter mellowed the radish’s fieriness, much like a glass of wine could blunt a rapacious wit. And the toast, like an unobtrusive waiter, was the perfect delivery for the subtle flavors.

Because this dish is so simple, make sure you use good quality ingredients. Fresh radishes, not old wrinkly ones. Real butter, not margarine. And whatever kind of toast makes you happy. (Even though the day old Jimmy John’s bread is about as nutritionally vapid as the magazine covers in the check out line, it makes some killer toast.) I served this as part of our Sunday brunch, which also included Creamed Baby Beet Greens with Poached Eggs. (Recipe coming soon!)

Bread and Butter Radishes for Two

2 slices of your favorite bread
4 radishes, greens reserved for another use
Butter
Salt (opt)

Toast your bread and slice the radishes. I like thicker slices because my bread was thicker. If you slice them too thinly, you will miss out on the satisfying crunch later on. When the toast is done, let it cool for a few minutes. Then spread the butter in as thick of a layer as you are comfortable with. Although normally I like toast with the butter melted into it, for this application I prefer a thick layer of butter. The kind that will show teeth marks. It will also keep the radish slices from slipping off as you eat. Arrange the radish slices in pleasing pattern on the toast. Sprinkle with a little salt, if desired, and enjoy!

Radish Tally: 4 Down, 177 to go

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Bread and Butter Radishes