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Sauteed Radishes with Sea Salt & Lime? Really?
Yes, really!
Now that it’s July, we’re starting to get quite a few fresh veggies from the garden. It’s the time of year we dream about in January. It seems like every day there is a new vegetable, ready to enjoy. And while we’ve been eating them for a few weeks now, radishes are starting to give up a real bumper crop this week.
I really like radishes, and we eat quite a lot of them in salads, or simply with a sprinkle of salt. Then I read about how the French enjoy radishes – with crusty bread, soft butter, and a sprinkle of sea salt. For a while, that combination became a favorite snack.
A few years ago, I ran across the idea of cooking radishes. Hmmmmm – it sounded crazy! But I am never one to pass up trying something new. I threw some on a baking sheet with oil and salt and roasted them. Whoa! They were amazing – earthy, no longer so spicy, with a very pleasant bitter undertone.
Low Carbing?
And, because I often eat a low-carb or keto diet, I’ve discovered that radishes make quite an acceptable potato substitute. I plan to give them a try like that in something like my Guinness Beef Stew next winter, but it’s a little warm for that kind of food right now.
Then, to truly blow my mind. I saw a recipe for cooking the greens. Now, we have always loved all sorts of greens, but the tops of radishes don’t seem all that palatable. They are kind of prickly, and due to that, not very easy to clean. I was never sorry back when when I gave them to the chickens. However, now I know that a salad spinner takes care of the cleaning, and cooking gets rid of the prickles entirely. I’m left with silky greens that are unlike any others – so flavorful and satisfying.
You don’t have to turn on the oven
If you spend much time around here, you probably know by now, that we don’t have AC, so I have a pretty strict rule about turning on the oven when the weather is hot. If I won’t turn it on for brownies, I am sure as heck not turning it on for radishes, so an alternative was needed: sauteing.
And just as an extra nod to the French way, sauteing them in butter, and finishing them off with some Maldon Sea Salt. Finally, after you lift the radishes and greens out to a serving dish, add a splash of fresh lime juice to the remaining butter in the pan and swish it around to make a buttery vinaigrette sort of sauce to spoon over the whole dish. Yikes!
Not only is it one of the tastiest things I’ve had, but also amazingly fast and easy – it is taking me far longer to write this post than it did to make the dish.
Sauteed Radishes with Sea Salt & Lime
Ingredients
- About 2 pounds of radishes tops included
- 2 - 3 tablespoons butter
- freshly ground pepper
- juice from about 1/2 of a large lime
- sea salt preferably Maldon
Instructions
- Separate the greens from the radishes, and clean both well. It might take a few washes to get the greens clean as they tend to really hang on to grit.
- Pick out any yellowed or terribly tattered leaves, and trim out any larger stalks as they will be very tough. You can roughly chop them, or just leave whole. Set aside.
- Cut the radishes in half, unless they are very small. Larger ones may be cut in thirds or quarters.
- Melt a tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan.
- When the butter is bubbling well, add the radishes to the pan, getting as many of the cut sides facing down as possible. Sprinkle with a few grinds of black pepper.
- When the first sides have some nice color, stir them to brown the other sides, and very lightly sprinkle with a bit of the sea salt - not too much, because you are going to finish them with more at the end.
- When the second sides are browned, and the radishes are getting somewhat soft, push them all to the edges of the pan, and melt a second tablespoon of butter in the center.
- Add the reserved greens, and use tongs to kind of toss them in the newly melted butter, then cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, occasionally tossing them a bit with the tongs to get them evenly cooked.
- Mix the radishes and greens together in the pan, sprinkle with some sea salt, and remove to a serving dish, lifting out with the tongs, to leave the pan juices behind.
- You can add the third tablespoon of butter at this point, or just go with what's left in the pan, and squeeze the fresh lime juice into the pan. Mix well, and drizzle over the radishes and greens.
- Finish the dish with a few more grains of sea salt.
- Serve hot, with extra salt and lime on the side, refrigerate leftovers
Sauteed Radishes with Sea Salt and Lime. See – super easy, right? And, until you give this a try, you won’t believe how good it is.
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I eat radishes all the time. They’re one of my favorite salad ingredients. I’ve never thought of cooking them, though. I love the idea and I’m SO glad you posted this recipe. Definitely trying some sauteed radishes! Great post, Donalyn!
Thanks Bill – for sure give it a try – you will be amazed!
This looks so good, must try it when I get some radishes next.
Thanks Caroline, I hope that you enjoy it!
Sounds delicious, Donalyn. Love the colorful pictures.
Thank you Kathleen 🙂
Radishes really aren’t used enough (including in my kitchen!). Love this — what a wonderful dish. I love roasting radishes, too. Super recipe — thanks.
i have to agree about that John – especially since they are so easy and fast to grow – very quick turn around when you plant a new bunch!
I have never eaten a cooked radish. I’m embarrassed to admit it but there you go. This does look wonderful!
That’s easy to fix Maureen! 🙂
Very original! A wonderful spring/summer dish.
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa!
I’m the only radish eater in this household, so I tend to eat them raw and salted. Now I feel I must explore the roasted and sauteed versions…thanks for the reviews!
I love sautéed radishes , but I never had the greens. I will definitely try your recipe.
Go figure, I have had cooked radish greens before but have never cooked the radishes themselves. Interesting concept. I recently saw another recipe that involved cooked radishes. Now, I am, curious! I only wish I would have planted some radishes this season. I bet it’s not too late, lol…Thanks for sharing, Donalyn. They look quite appetizing and refreshing too!
I love raw radish but my husband does not; however, he does like butter. 🙂 This looks like a recipe that might just turn him on the radish thing. I think he’d love it. I know I would! Thanks!