Do you avoid radishes? Do you hate them? Do you have no clue what to do with radishes? Waste not, want not, even when it comes to radishes. 

Don’t Let A Seasonal Overload of Radishes & Zucchini Stress You Out

The beauty of a CSA, a Community Sponsored Agriculture program, is investing directly in a local farmer and reducing the stamps in your dinner’s passport. The beast of a CSA is being bombarded with vegetables you don’t love or simply don’t know how to use.

Radishes, for example, are a polarizing root vegetable that frequent farm stands and farm shares. My dad would eat them like grapes as he worked the garden. I mostly tolerate them in a salad from time to time, while others avoid them with the disgust of a petulant child.

The French do, as the French are wont to do, and eat their radishes with butter and salt. Let that principle guide your CSA resourcefulness this summer: butter, salt, and bread make almost everything better, even bitter radishes.

The second guiding principle is hiding the less-than-desirable vegetable in a familiar, comforting picnic staple like potato salad. Think potato salad with more colors. Think radishes with less bitterness. Think Old Bay seasoning and conjuring the feelings of a beach vacation. The radish starts to be more appealing, right?

Are You Burnt Out on Zucchini Bread?

In the case of zucchini, the challenge is an escalating process of wearing down your creativity. Just when you think, “How can I possibly use another squash?” a hefty pile appears in the wooden crate with your name on it. Rather than suffering the heat of baking yet another batch of zucchini bread, head outside, and fire up the grill.

Be inspired by the ease and power of spicy mayo, refreshing cilantro, and this easy version of a bánh mì. As a bonus, you can use more radishes in the quick-pickle slaw. It’s no Lucy’s in the Strip District (a very authentic Pittsburgh offering), but it will help you waste less and enjoy more, and that my friends, is CSA success.

What To Do With Radishes: Follow The French Formula

Baguette + Butter + Radishes + Salt

It’s surprisingly good even if you never considered a raw radish to be appealing.

Bánh Mì Inspired Grilled Zucchini Sandwiches (A Rough Guide)

Ingredients

Baguette
Good quality mayonnaise (I like Sir Kensington’s)
Hot Sauce or Sriracha
Grilled Zucchini (seasoned with salt, pepper and oil)
Quick-Pickled Carrots, Cucumbers, Radishes & Jalapeños
Fresh Cilantro

Stack ’em up every which way and however you please, but if I may, a few recommendations:

Mix the hot sauce and the mayo into one zinger of a creamy sauce (then commence using it on everything from oven-baked fries to burgers). Slather the creamy combo on the baguette, followed by the roasted zucchini, then the pickled veggies, and garnish liberally with fresh cilantro. Remember to always be careful when handling and eating jalapeños.

You Might Also Like: Roasted Red Pepper Millet Dip

If you’re trying to use up even more summer vegetable bounty, try this Roasted Red Pepper Millet Dip from my book, The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook. The millet creates a creamy, nut-free, vegan dip with minimal effort, extra fiber, and magnesium.

Print

Roasted Radish Side Salad

Think potato salad with more colors. Think radishes with less bitterness.

Course: Salad

Yield: 5 servings

Author: Quelcy Kogel

Ingredients

Roasted Radishes

• 2 lbs 4 bunches radishes, ends trimmed and halved
• 2 shallots, coarsely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Dressing

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Assembly

• 1 (8 oz) heart of celery sliced
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• Sprigs of dill, to garnish

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• In a mixing bowl, toss the radishes, shallots, and garlic with the avocado oil. Season with the Old Bay, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly, then spread the mixture in an even layer on a sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until radishes are golden brown and tender. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing.
• Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl, and stir until combined.
• Transfer the cooled radish mixture to a bowl. Stir in the sliced celery and chopped dill. Add the dressing, and stir until evenly coated. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill and enjoy!