I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was finally able to take advantage of our local CSA. If you’ve never participated in a CSA, it’s a program where you pay a farm a predetermined amount at the beginning of the growing season. The farm then divides up the produce harvested between those who have contributed. Some CSAs also require a labor or time investment as part of the share, the one I belong to does not.
Joining a CSA isn’t a sure thing, if the crop is wiped out in a hailstorm or the weather just isn’t conducive to a productive year, you are susceptible to the same risk as the farmer. While I am a big advocate for supporting the local economy, a CSA may not be for you if you are a super tight budget and having to buy vegetables after investing in a CSA would be a hardship.
A little bit of adventure is involved in being a part of the CSA. While you may have a good idea of what will be included in your share, sometimes some produce you normally wouldn’t buy shows up. I like the challenge. Not everyone likes to play Iron Chef, though, so I’ll gladly do it for you.
This week’s challenge vegetable? Radishes. I don’t mind radishes, but I’m not the person who sits there and thinks, Gee, a radish would really hit the spot.
So, when a bunch of radishes were included in my share, I tried to think of how I could convince everyone else to eat them since they weren’t my go-to vegetable for spring side dishes.
Everyone in this household loves tacos. If I can put it in a taco, I guarantee that there will be no complaints. When I make fish tacos, I use a ridiculously easy cabbage slaw. I decided to experiment and see if this technique would work for radishes, which have a significant bitter bite. The acidity of the lime juice and the sweetness of the honey mellow out the bitter to a pleasant heat and crunch that is an excellent taco condiment, and I bet it’d be good on a Southwestern wrap or burger, too.
Enjoy.
Simple Radish Slaw
Spicy, crunchy sweet slaw for tacos
Ingredients
- * 1 small bunch of radishes, cut into matchsticks (think thin strips)
- * 2 TBSP lime juice
- * 1 1/2 tsp honey
- * 1 TBSP chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Whisk the lime juice, honey, and cilantro together.
- Toss with the radishes.
- Allow to marinate for at least one hour in the refrigerator.
- Re-toss before serving
Have you tried roasting radishes? They mellow out nicely.
I have. I’m a huge fan of roasted vegetables in general, especially with garlic roasting in the same pan