Recipes from the Garden – Radish Toast

This is the perfect, simple, recipe to enjoy at summer’s end due to radishes being a cool season crop. This means that radishes thrive in cooler weather. If the weather is too hot your radishes will increase in spice and may develop a tough texture. We like to plant radishes in late April and early August. This root veggie can persist into the fall before hard freezes set in. Beat the hard freeze and harvest your radishes for this low waste recipe – here, we’ll be using the whole radish! Radish leaves are a good source of protein, iron, and potassium. The radish root is full of antioxidants and vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant to protect your cells from damage. 

Recipe from Justine Snacks. Photo + recipe testing courtesy of SEE Garden Committee Member Kelsey Tetmeyer

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of radishes stems and bulbs, about 1 lb
• 1/4 cup Skyr or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 lemon for zest and juice
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup fresh dill finely chopped
• Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
• 2 slices bread of choice
• 1/2 large avocado
• *SEE recommendation* Dill and Nasturtium flower for garnish and taste

Preparation

1. Separate the radish bulbs from the stems. Clean both of them very well, I recommend using a salad spinner for this!
2. Finely slice the radishes into half-moon pieces. Chop the radish stems into bite-sized greens. Set both to the side.
3. In a large bowl, add the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, minced garlic, and dill. Mix and add a pinch each of salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Season and adjust the salt, pepper and red pepper to your preference.
4. Add the radish slices and the radish greens directly into the bowl with the dressing. Use clean hands to give it a nice toss to fully coat the greens in the dressing.
5. Lightly toast the bread slices, and add a generous smear of avocado to each.
6. To plate, take a large scoop of the radish salad and pile it high on the toast. You want this to be what I call a “fork-and-knife” kind of toast.

Note: If radishes have fine hairs from late harvesting or warm weather, sauté them in garlic and olive oil for about 3 seconds. This removes the hairy mouth feel.