Two Things with Radishes

This time of year in the mid-Atlantic states, our gardens, farmers' markets and CSA Farmboxes are not yet full of variety. We are all seeing mostly lettuce, spinach, and a lot of red radishes. There is nothing wrong with a trimmed bunch of crisp radishes, nibbled with some good buttered bread and salt. Nonetheless, I decided to rummage for some other ideas, and found two, browsing cookbooks at the downtown library at lunchtime.

The first is a Radish Cream Soup With Lavender, from Cooking in the Shaker Spirit, by James Haller. This book is not about historical recreations of documented Shaker dishes. Haller was the chef for the restaurant at New Hampshire's Canterbury Shaker Village. He created these recipes there, with the idea of preparing the sort of simple, but inventive dishes, based on fresh food and herbs, for which the Shaker's were known. This is the only recipe I've made from the book, and like some of the others, it seemed decidedly odd.

Actually, I think it is delicious. Whether this is due primarily to the lavish quantites of cream and butter, I am not sure. I can definitely taste the radishes though, as well as the lavender, and I like both flavors here. This soup is meant to be served hot, but would likely also be good cold. I'd make a thinner version to serve cold- with less roux, as it seemes thicker when chilled. I liked it hot, though, with seeded crackers.

The pale pink color makes it seem a bit doll's tea-party-ish, leading me to serve it in the decorated tea cups. These are, though, kind of frilly, and not awfully in tune with the Shaker spirit. A simple, sturdy, nicely designed pottery bowl would be more suitable. I suppose. The soup is not at all wimpy tasting, and it is very rich. It can be served in quite small portions. When I cooked the radishes to begin with, I tasted them, and I can report that sliced red radishes stewed in plenty of butter are very good indeed. Some fresh dill on them would make a nice veg side dish.

The lavender I used was from a friends (unsprayed, untreated) garden. If you would like to try this soup (I hope someone will, and tell me if you think I'm crazy ) this is what you need:

sliced red radishes 2 cups
unsalted butter 1 stick (1/2 cup)
flour (1/2 cup)
white wine 1 cup
cream 2 cups (I used part creme fraiche, because I had some)
milk 2 cups
lavender a few sprigs

Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add radishes and cook slowly for 5-7 minutes. Whisk in flour, and stir well, making a roux. Stir in wine and cream and milk to combine. Blend with immersion blender (easiest) or other method, until smooth. Add lavender and simmer 30 minutes. I added salt and white pepper-it didn't need much of either.

The second dish is even simpler to fix. From the Second Moro Cookbook, by Sam and Sam Clark, it is a Radish Salad with Orange Blossom Water, "refreshing and exotic." You need:

sliced trimmed radishes
finely grated orange rind of 1 orange
orange blossom water 1 tbsp
chopped flat leaf parsley
chopped fresh mint
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

Toss together and serve. This is very nice with flatbreads and/or grilled meat or chicken. It is sort of halfway between a relish and a salad.

Sadly, I only got to eat one bowl of the soup. The rest perished due to the weekend demise of my fridge (really my landlord's fridge, but my food) , which apparently stopped working sometime on Friday night, not to be discovered until my return home Saturday afternoon. All sorts of ruined goodies and groceries. And I had just made stock! Aaargh.

Addendum: I have just realized that both of these radish things fit within the
Perfumed Garden "Spice is Right" event at Tigers and Strawberries. I'm late, but what's new?

Comments

[steven]

The radish dishes are interesting,if any radishes ever make it past being washed then eaten around here I have to try them. My sympathies on your fridge, I just made demi glace a couple weeks ago and I dont know what I would do if this happened to me.

[Tanna]

I really enjoy finding the odd sounding recipe that works for looks and taste! I'd love to try this.
I am really sorry on the fridge! I understand some things are an inconvience and others are an absolute loss. I know there are better ways to end up with a clean fridge.

[Rebecca]

My condolences on your fridge as well; I only hope you hadn't made the onion jam yet!!
These radish recipes both sound great but I got stuck on eating them sprinkled with salt, along with bread and butter; that sounds so good to me! I rarely buy radishes because my husband thinks they taste "like dirt" and I can't imagine eating a whole bunch of them by myself. But perhaps it's time to re-think that and just get some and enjoy them.

[Jen]

The soup sounds lovely. I'd love to try it although I don't think I have a source for lavender - do you know anywhere to buy it fresh, around the city?

I'm sory to hear about your refrigerator, too. I keep a lot of things in mine, and I'd be quite upset if it failed.

[lindy]

Steven-Yes, it was the stock that got me down the most.all divided up, and neatly labeled. sigh. If it had been demi glace, I would have been totally desolated. I've contemplated making some, but never have yet.

Tanna-True. But my replacement fridge- swiped by the clever handyman from the currently empty apartment next door-is newer and cleaner than the Defunctadaire ever was. Plus, the dear man came over on Sunday to make the switch-what a sweetie! Since it had been plugged in, and scrubbed, it was cold and ready to go. I still miss my nice food, though.

Rebecca, I love radishes with bread, butter and salt. It's my standard treatment. Hmm. Like dirt? My friend C. used to always say that lentils tasted like dirt. Much though i love lentils, I think that's a closer match for soil than crispy radishes!

Thanks for the fridge condolences. I'm a bit worried, though. My late husband had a theory (oft proven true) that appliance breakdowns occur in threes. Since I lost the old Cuisinart recently, I'm kind of waiting for the third blow. (I was going to say, "for the third shoe to drop"-not so clever.)

[lindy]

Jen-Penzeys in the strip! (It's dried, but excellent and culinary quality-safe, no spray)

[Jen]

Oh, where IS my brain these days? In my defense, I haven't had time to make a run to the Strip in the past month or so, which I suppose means it might be reasonable that I forgot we had a Penzey's store, here.

Please, if you ever see a photo of my kitchen, ignore the tens of Penzey's bottles that should serve as a reminder to me.

[Sarah]

I am so happy to have discovered this Pittsburgh-located blog...I will be moving to Pittsburgh this summer, and must admit that I have been sulking a bit about leaving all of the nice organic groceries and farmer's markets here in North Carolina for the sports and metal of the Steel City. But roaming through this site has put a nice taste in my mouth for cooking in Pittsburgh. I'm looking forward to shopping at the Strip District, and would love other food-related advice to help me cope with the transition. Best wishes!

[lindy]

Hello Sarah-Welcome to the 'burgh. There's actually not alot of iron and steel left in town...the mills being closed and all that. Still a lot of sports, it's true. Front page in all newspapers today, and lead story on tv, is the Ben Rothlinsberger motorcycle accident.

Rebecca and Jen, whose names you see above, are also foodbloggers here in town. I had a look at your nice blog and will be back. What neighborhood will you be living in?

[Julie]

I can't quite get my mind around radishes and lavender -- I'm coming up with sort of a does-not-compute blank when I try to imagine how it would taste -- but it looks most elegant served in the teacup with the flower garnish on the saucer.

The Strip sounds like a pretty great place to a non-Pittsburgher like myself. You seem to be able to get all sorts of wonderful things there.

[Baking Soda]

Catching up! Love the cups, love the frothy looks of this soup, almost cappucino-like. Too bad I hate radishes. (Remainder of childhood dislike, maybe it is time to rethink and try the salad).
Sorry about the fridge, there are things in life that just should do their job without failing and fridges and cars are one of them!

[june]

Beautiful tea cup, extraordinary idea with radishes and lavender, very pretty colour. I do love radishes and cannot imagine how these flavours work together. Must give it a try.

[ann]

oh man, how much do i LOVE that shaker cookbook!
the Shaker's had a real thing for cooking radishes and other vegetables/fruits that we moderns would consider odd
they loved cooked lettuce as well
Amy Bess Miller's wonderful tome on the subject was an inspiration to Mr. Haller and is a not to miss book for any person interested in simple, pure, clean, American cooking (it's out of print but very easy to find)

[the chocolate lady]

I will be trying this as soon as my neighbor brings some promised lavender from her mother's garden in Queens. I'm so sorry to hear about your appliance attrition. It seems like just the other day that your cuisinart went to its eternal reward. Have you thought of calling in a shaman or something to exorcise your kitchen?

[the chocolate lady]

I will be trying this as soon as my neighbor brings some promised lavender from her mother's garden in Queens. I'm so sorry to hear about your appliance attrition. It seems like just the other day that your cuisinart went to its eternal reward. Have you thought of calling in a shaman or something to exorcise your kitchen?

[the chocolate lady]

Whoops, guess I could use an exorcist around here as well!

[lindy]

Julie-it does sound strange, doesn't it? You are not far from Pgh-next time you are nearby, you should head for the strip and do a little shopping. The produce selections are not what they were, but the ethnic markets are sensational-and it is so great to have a brick and mortar Penzey's, where you can browse. Saturdays there is a farmer's market in the firehouse there, too.
ann-thanks for the recommendation. I found a copy of the Miller book on bookfinder.com, and ordered it. I'm very interested.
chocolate lady-well, as I said, I'm waiting for the 3rd and final portion of the curse. Meanwhile, my landlords have sold the building to some mysterious limited partnership, so perhaps the resident appliance demons will depart with them.

[Lynn D.]

I somehow missed the radish relish recipe the first time I read this post. Independently, I made a sliced radish salad with only mint and wine vinegar and it was very refreshing. (I did the same thing with thinly sliced red pepper and it was also delicious.) If you don't want the mint to permeate the dish, but just provide a bracing accent note, add it at the last minute, but if you want it really minty, let it macerate for a bit. The orange variation sounds intriguing.