Russians love radishes, from garden-variety red to pungent black, enjoying them not only fresh but also salted, marinated, or turned into savory preserves. I like simply to roast them. If you’ve never had cooked radishes before, you’ll be delighted. Though they retain some crunch, their flavor mellows, and the muted red of their skin is alluring.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 pound large red radishes (about 24)
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large garlic clove, minced
1⁄2 teaspoon caraway seed
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Trim the tops and tails of the radishes, then cut them in half vertically. Place them in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and toss with the oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Roast for 20 minutes, until a knife pierces them easily.
While the radishes are roasting, melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat. Stir in the garlic and caraway and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, just until the garlic turns golden. Be careful not to let it burn.
Pour the butter over the roasted radishes and transfer them to a serving bowl. Serve hot.
“Reprinted with permission from Beyond the North Wind: Russia in Recipes and Lore by Darra Goldstein, copyright © 2020. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.”
