June 22--Radishes, Lettuce, Beets

Last summer we participated in a CSA from Kenney Farms in Concord. We are doing so again this summer and our first distribution was this past Tuesday. In an effort to share the recipes that I have found for all the wonderful veggies, I will be posting recipes that I use for dinner throughout the summer.

Roasted Radishes
2 bunches medium radishes (such as red, pink, and purple; about 20)
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Cut off all but 1/2 inch of green radish tops; reserve trimmed tops and rinse them well, checking for grit. Coarsely chop radish tops and set aside. Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat. Place radishes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired.

2. medium-high heat. Add pinch of coarse kosher salt to skillet and cook until butter browns, swirling skillet frequently to keep butter solids from burning, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice.

3. Transfer roasted radishes to warmed shallow serving bowl and drizzle brown butter over. Sprinkle with chopped radish tops and serve.


Lettuce and Peas
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 spring onions or 3 scallions thinly sliced, or one quarter of an onion, finely chopped
About 20 large leaves of lettuce, washed well and sliced into 1-inch ribbons (stalks OK)
About one-half cup vegetable or chicken stock (low-sodium if packaged), or water
One-half teaspoon coarse kosher salt
One-half teaspoon sugar
1 generous cup fresh shelled peas (or frozen, but fresh are in now and they're so worth shelling)
1 tablespoon heavy cream or creme fraiche (optional)
 
1. 1. Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat and add onions. Cook until soft but not colored, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low.
 
2. 2. Add ribboned lettuce to pan with stock, salt and sugar and toss to combine.
 
3. 3. Add peas, cover pan and cook, just until lettuce and peas are tender, about 5 minutes, but might take longer for more sturdy varieties of lettuce.
 
4. 4. If using cream, stir in at end. Taste and add seasoning as desired. Serve immediately.

Spring Beet Salad
2 lbs. baby beets, scrubbed(assorted red and yellow)
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
⅓ cup small fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Trim the roots and stems off the beets to 1 inch.

Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and bake on a baking sheet until tender when tested with a toothpick, about 1 hour. Cool slightly, remove the foil and slip off the skins. Halve the beets lengthwise.

Combine the vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisking constantly, drizzle in the oil and continue whisking until thickened. Toss with the beets.

Place the beets in a serving bowl and garnish with the mint.



The big surprise in this menu was the roasted radishes. Last summer I tried various recipes for the cooking radishes, but had not success! These were wonderful.