In the USA, my mother usually kept radishes in the vegetable bin and sliced a few into her green salads. I felt pretty neutral about this vegetable until I discovered the French way of serving them: as a starter, with butter and salt. You put a little butter on your radish, then dip the buttered end in some salt. We like to use seasoned salts such as "sel fin au fenouil." I do wonder about the limited use for radishes in France. The butter/salt combination is practically the only way I've ever eaten them here. What about you? Do you have any ideas for this colorful spring vegetable?
13 comments:
That is how I always ate radishes over there. I don't know. There's always le dipping! ;-)
bonjour Betty,
Dans quelle région es-tu ?, je pourrai te donner des adresses pour le merveilleux papier
Cordialement
Rose
I think there is nothing possibly better than the traditional way. You put a little pile of salt on your plate. You make sure your radishes are just damp enough. You put a little sweet butter on a little piece of bread. You dip a damp radish into the pile of salt. You bite into the radish, and then you bite into the buttered bread. Salt, radish, bread, and butter -- perfection.
How strange! With butter and salt is about the only I've ever eaten radishes. My mom taught me that. I never knew that was the French way, though. Try that combination on some nice bread for a curious little sandwich!
The radishes in our garden are off to a good start this year. Won't be long before we get some!
Betty,
I just discovered your blog and I think it's wonderful. I read a lot of food blogs about high-end (or at least single-girl) eating and cooking in France, but this is a fascinating glimpse how "real people" cook. Lots of good food ideas, too.
Re: turkey with vegetables that you wrote about a couple of months ago... Did you make a sauce for the turkey or just roast it on a bed of veggies?
I didn't make a sauce but if you go to the recipe (linked to in my blog) you can see there was mustard spread all over the turkey. It was very moist, so I didn't feel there was any need for a sauce.
Steve's comment is interesting because he is a Pacific NW American. I definitely had never tasted radishes served with salt before living in France, and it is generally considered a "French thing" -- although his comment gives us some proof otherwise!
I'll check with my mom and see where she picked up the butter-n-salt thing. I guess that's what radishes have in common with popcorn....
I used to eat radishes with salt, no butter. That never occurred to me before meeting my husband. I'm originally from the south, so maybe that has something to do with it.
I used to eat radishes with salt, no butter. That never occurred to me before meeting my husband. I'm originally from the south, so maybe that has something to do with it.
Your post remembers me a personnal post: http://boiremanger.canalblog.com/archives/2006/05/12/1863592.html
Eric, it's funny to get a comment on this post one year later! I'm now experimenting with pepping up my radishes -- verrines, using them as a filler for halved avocadoes, etc. But they're still great simple!
Well this is going to be even funnier - a comment on a 2 yr old post ... I live cooked radishes like this - http://www.recipezaar.com/Cooked-Radishes-are-Yummy-147329
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