Only four ingredients—radishes, salt, pepper, and crème fraîche—yet they make an extremely tasty raw vegetable first course. If you can, make it with the wonderfully sharp black radishes, still relatively scarce in the States but available at some farmers’ markets. Or use a combination of red radishes, daikon, or pink-and-green-striped watermelon radishes. You can even use tender young turnips. The only work is in the slicing. A mandoline is the best tool to ensure the slices are uniformly thin.
Radishes a la Crème
| SERVES 4 |
| INGREDIENTS ½ pound large red radishes or daikon Sea salt ¼ cup crème fraîche, or a little more A few drops of milk (optional) Pepper |
| PREPARATION 1. With a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the radishes as thin as possible. Arrange the slices on a platter. Sprinkle lightly with salt. 2. If the crème fraîche is quite thick, beat it with a spoon for a minute to lighten it up, or thin with a few drops of milk or water. Spoon it generously over the sliced radishes. Finish with as much freshly ground pepper as you like. |
| OPTIONAL EMBELLISHMENTS A drizzle of fruity olive oil, about 1 tablespoon, is a delicious indulgence spooned over the crème fraîche at the last minute. Or garnish with spicy radish sprouts and chopped chives. You can also serve the radish salad on thinly sliced rye bread for great little open-faced sandwiches. |
| “Excerpted from One Good Dish by David Tanis (Artisan Books). Copyright ©2013. Photographs by Gentl & Hyers.” |
