I recently discovered the wonders of radishes while visiting a friend who served up a bowl of them raw to just munch on as a pre-dinner snack. I had tasted them as a garnish on a salad, but didn’t understand that these crunchy little bites pack quite the zesty punch. So, of course, the next time I was in a grocery store and saw a bunch of local radishes on sale for only 50cents, I had to pick some up to try out.
Tonight’s dinner was yet another random occurrence out of whatever was left in the refrigerator. Add to that list of ingredients some radishes, baby carrots and fresh green beans, and I created a tasty little side dish I like to call “Radish Slaw”.
This was just enough for two people, so feel free to alter the recipe to make more as needed. There is no science to this recipe – just start shredding away and wait until it looks (and tastes!) like you’ve hit radish heaven.
Ingredients:
3-5 Radishes
5-6 Baby Carrots (part of a regular carrot would probably be easier to work with)
8-10 fresh green beans
1 T each of Dijon mustard, mayo and your favorite Italian dressing
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
Directions:
Using a cheese grater shred your radishes and carrots. That’s right. Watch your knuckles but shred away. Finely chop those green beans. Put all veggies into a bowl. (Remember, the number of veggies really depends on your preference and what you have available!)
In a separate bowl, mix up the other ingredients to make a dressing. Slowly add into the veggies, stirring as you go along. You probably won’t need it all. It’s just meant to lightly coat the veggies and give it a little sauce.
TIP:
For fun, I created a vessel to serve the slaw in. At a farmer’s market, I had picked up one of those small, round zucchini-like squashes. I sliced it in half lengthwise and scooped out the seeds. Next, I sliced a real thin bit off of each side so that it would sit flat onto the baking tray. Drizzle with a little Italian dressing, and bake in an oven heated at about 375º for about 20 minutes (or until it’s soft). They’re tiny, so it doesn’t take long. I actually flipped mine back over and put face down into a frying pan I already was using on the stove – to just brown the top a bit. I scooped the Radish Slaw right in there and drizzled with a little bit of the extra slaw dressing to garnish. Who’s looking like a real chef now?