Dear Lynne,

Every week I buy those great-looking multicolored radishes. I slice some in salads and end up throwing the rest out. What else can I do with them? 

–Patty in New York City

Dear Patty,

I love radishes and think we underestimate them here in the states. Here are some ideas.

Try a salad made of equal amounts of thinly-sliced radishes and carrots with fresh coriander tossed in an Asian sweet-sour sauce. It would be delicious on its own alongside something grilled, but also imagine it on a bed of rice noodles with crushed salted peanuts.

The French really understand the radish. One classic is radishes with drinks. The radishes are halved on a slant, and set out with a pot of soft butter and another one of coarse salt. You run your radish through a little butter, then dip it in the salt. Try it; it is dynamite. 

A garden tip: Plant radish and carrot seeds together. As you pull faster-growing radishes, you automatically space the carrots.

Finally, the French radish sauté -- this works with anything, but with salmon, lamb or roast chicken it is especially good.

-Lynne

Sweet Herb Radish Sauté

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • About 24 small multicolored radishes, trimmed, washed and dried

  • 1/8 teaspoon sugar

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons water

  • 1/4 cup snipped chives or thin-sliced scallion tops

  • 3 basil leaves, torn

  • 2 tablespoons sour cream

 Instructions

1. Heat butter in a 10-inch sauté pan over medium high. Add radishes and sugar, sautéing about 2 minutes. 

2. Lower heat to medium. Sprinkle radishes with salt, pepper and water.

3. Cover and cook 1 minute. Uncover, boil off liquid, stirring all the time. Taste radishes for seasoning and fold in the herbs. Serve warm with dollops of sour cream.

Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Lynne Rossetto Kasper has won numerous awards as host of The Splendid Table, including two James Beard Foundation Awards (1998, 2008) for Best National Radio Show on Food, five Clarion Awards (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014) from Women in Communication, and a Gracie Allen Award in 2000 for Best Syndicated Talk Show.