The beauty of a Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) program is investing directly in a local farmer and reducing the stamps in your dinner’s passport. The beast of a CSA is being bombarded with vegetables you don’t love or simply don’t know how to use. Radishes, for example, are a polarizing root vegetable that frequent Pittsburgh farm stands and farm shares.

Ways to Eat Radishes

My dad would eat them like grapes as he worked the garden. I mostly tolerate them in a salad from time to time, while others avoid them with the disgust of a petulant child. The French, as the French are wont to do, eat their radishes with butter and salt. Let that principle guide your CSA resourcefulness this summer: butter, salt, and bread make almost everything better, even bitter radishes.

The second guiding principle is hiding the less-than-desirable vegetable in a familiar, comforting picnic staple like potato salad. Think potato salad with more colors. Radishes with less bitterness. Old Bay seasoning and conjuring the feelings of a beach vacation. The radish starts to be more appealing, right?

Roasted Radish Salad

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• Author: Quelcy Kogel

Print Recipe

Description

Making even the pickiest of eaters enjoy radishes.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 lbs (4 bunches) radishes, ends trimmed and halved
• 2 shallots, coarsely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 heart of celery (8 oz), sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• Sprigs of dill, to garnish

For the dressing:

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, toss the radishes, shallots, and garlic with the avocado oil.
3. Season with the Old Bay, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly, then spread the mixture in an even layer on a sheet pan.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until radishes are golden brown and tender. Set aside to cool.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl, and stir until combined.
6. Transfer the cooled radish mixture to a bowl. Stir in the sliced celery and chopped dill. Add the dressing, and stir until evenly coated.
7. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill and enjoy.

Wrap Up

When you have a supply of radishes but are not sure how to incorporate them, let our Roasted Radish Salad. With fresh picked veggies, a homemade dijon mustard dressing, and the perfect seasoning, you might just fall in love with radishes after all.

Story, Styling, and Photography by Quelcy Kogel

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