Black Radishes

Thanksgiving 2010 has come and gone and so has Black Friday.  As I write this I have the turkey carcass and bones simmering in a big pot on the stove with some onion, leek, carrot and herbs.  Turkey broth is happening and I am happy about that.  I have some leftover gravy too, and that will get combined with some of the leftover turkey meat (we had a 25 pound bird) and probably served on toast with some cranberry sauce on the side.  I hope you have some leftover turkey too.  I put some of our leftover baked winter squash into our morning cornmeal mush -- that is one of my favorite things to do with leftover squash.  More leftover turkey is going into a salad with romaine lettuce, toasted black walnuts, chopped apple and dried cranberries - with a simple olive oil vinaigrette.

We had 18 at our table on Thursday from ages 3 to 94.  Some of them came on Monday and Tuesday so I have been working overtime in the kitchen for about a week now.  This is good - always takes care of any lingering fantasies I may occasionally entertain about opening a restaurant.

My family includes one vegan, one lactose intolerant person, one peanut allergy, and one gluten abstainer.  This is my family and I love them, so I rose to the challenge.  One thing about having a vegan at the table - no butter automatically added to vegetables. Did us all a favor.  And our vegan make some pretty good chocolate cake with butternut squash.

Not much going on at our house today - it is a good day to take a refrigerator inventory.  I need to use up a few things before the next winter box arrives.  Like the big black radish.  I never do Black Friday.  But I do do Black Radishes.

I am learning more about radishes in general and black radishes in particular.  (For an intro to radishes, see my previous Focus post.) http://cookoutofthebox.blogspot.com/2010/09/focus-radishes-raphanus-sativus.html

Margaret asked me especially to talk about these spicy crunchy guys, since they do not appear to be the most popular among the Featherstone vegetable line up.  If there are any readers out there who open their box and say "Oh goody -- black radishes.  I can hardly wait to eat them!" -- please e mail me right away.  We need to talk.

So this morning I got a black radish out of the back of the crisper drawer and peeled it.  I thinly sliced and then julienned some.  And I grated some.  (note - if you leave the stem on, it provides a convenient little handle when you are grating or slicing.)

I know that the Japanese use lots of winter radishes so I thought I would make a simple dressing with a Japanese twist.  These are basically radish refrigerator pickles.  I keep them on hand for whenever I want some extra crunch or freshness in a dish.  Add these julienned radishes to salads or use as a garnish on Asian noodle soups or other soups.  Use as a side dish if you are having a simple meal of rice, vegetables and broiled meat.
What the heck - have some for breakfast with a poached egg and toast.

Simple dressing for julienned black or daikon radishes
To prepare radishes:  peel, thinly slice.  Stack slices and cut into strips of desired thickness.
Dressing  (easily multiplied)
1 T. EACH :  rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sherry
plus 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Whisk together ingredients and pour over prepared radishes.  This dressing is enough for 1-2 cups vegetables.
Variation - add julienned carrots to the radishes