Radish-top soup and slow-roasted radish roots with fennel

One of the things that excites me the most is to take a humble vegetable and turn it into something exquisite.

Like… a simple radish.

Most of us are very familiar with the cheerful little bulbs. Round and bright red, they can be found on the shelves of every grocery store, year-round. Radishes are mostly eaten raw, in salads or on their own; their leafy tops are usually thrown away without a second thought.

But this unassuming little root has so much more to offer. Not only do the bulbs turn sweet and nutty when roasted, their leafy tops make the most delicious cooked greens. It only takes a mouthful of this radish-top soup and a bite of the fennel-roasted roots to be a convert.

The common radish works beautifully in these two recipes. But if you want to experience a truly fabulous radish, then take the time to browse your local farmers’ market or farm stand. There are many varieties available these days—radishes come in all sizes, shapes and colors, with flavors ranging from crisp and sweet to a little hot and tangy.

A few years ago one gorgeous bulb really caught my eye, its name—the watermelon radish—as colorful as its bright pink flesh. The watermelon radish has since become a favorite in my kitchen, and it’s absolutely delicious in today’s recipe. (I hope the picture below will entice you to seek it out.)

But you should seek out other radishes, too—like the cherriette (a larger and sweeter version of the common radish), the luobo (crisp with a plate green flesh and a little heat)…

… or the China rose (vibrant pink skin and crisp white flesh). These gorgeous bulbs will open up a whole new world of flavors to your palate—and all will work marvelously with these recipes.

I love to serve this soup side by side with the roasted roots. Take a bite of the sweet, fennel-infused roots along with a spoonful of the spicy, silky green-top soup and you’ll agree: the humblest of vegetables can truly be transformed into a heavenly experience.

Wine pairing: Hermann J. Wiemer HJW and Magdalena Vineyard dry Rieslings

Viviane’s tips

Use only the tender part of the stems to make the soup.

The common radish has very tender stems and the leafy tops can be used whole. But other varieties—like the watermelon, luobo or China rose radishes—have thicker stems that are a bit fibrous and will need to be trimmed.

Trim the thicker part of the stems as shown above, and discard.

Weigh the leaves and tender stems for the soup. You should have 12 oz (350gr) or 14 cups of loosely packed, coarsely chopped leaves.

Give your roots a pretty tip.

The radish roots look very elegant with a bit of the tail showing. Here’s how to do it:

Peel the radish along its bulb and its tail, being careful not to sever the tail.

Cut the tail on the diagonal, about 1/2” from the base of the bulb.

Cut the radish in half, right through its tail, and then in quarters right through its tail again.

For larger radishes, cut each quarter in half, right through the tail, into 1/4” slices.

These humble radish roots are not the only ones that are delicious when roasted! Check out these roasted baby red potatoes with lemon and bay leaves.

Disclaimer: As always, my point of view is my own. I do not accept samples, and have no commercial relationship with any product, food or wine company.

Tagged as: Cherriette radish, China rose radish, Creme fraiche, Eat, F1, Fennel, Gluten free, Loubo radish, Mustard greens, Radish, Radish tops, Roasted, Soups & stews, Thanksgiving, Vegetable stock, Veloute, watermelon radish, winter

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