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 Recipe
Roasted Radish Salad Ingredients
- 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
- 2tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Salad Preparation Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the radishes, shallots, and garlic with the avocado oil.
- Season with the Old Bay, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly, then spread the mixture in an even layer on a sheet pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until radishes are golden brown and tender. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl, and stir until combined.
- Transfer the cooled radish mixture to a bowl. Stir in the sliced celery and chopped dill. Add the dressing, and stir until evenly coated.
- 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
