Braised Radishes With Lavender

But I mostly like my vegetables cooked, and radishes appear to lend themselves better to uncooked foods, like salads. Another reason, perhaps, is that I came to the small, round, deep-pink variety later in life. In India, the only radish I knew growing up was the daikon – that long, white, rather intimidating-looking root – which is chopped up with the greens and sauteed for a very tasty sabzi or side. You can also roll it out within the folds of a mooli paratha, or toss it into a dal or a sambar, and it’s divine. (I’ve added the little radishes to sambar too, and they work just as well.) Recently, I came across a radish recipe from David Tanis who writes evocative, unusual vegetable recipes like Eggplant Soup and Roasted Coconut Carrots in his New York Times column. The radish recipe called for a hefty amount of butter, but I did love the idea of transforming that lovely, crisp bite of the radish into butter-softness. So at the market, I picked up some radishes. Jay, who had never eaten them before, asked if they were a fruit and wanted to eat them rightaway. When I told him they were a vegetable, his ardor cooled down (only slightly – he does love some vegetables and will eat most), but I knew the recipe I had in mind would win him back. I also wanted to try out some lavender, and this seemed like the perfect recipe for it. I have somehow never thought of lavender as an edible herb although it very much is one, and I bought a potted lavender this year with the full intention of attempting to eat it. Check to get new recipe updates by email.

I loved the way this recipe turned out. Instead of butter, I braised the radishes with a flavorsome vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and shallots. And in the end I added a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for some fresh, green flavor. The radishes were excellent: once braised, they turn a pretty, paler pink, and the texture is truly butter-soft. Their earthy, slightly bitter taste is complemented nicely by the fresh, fragrant lavender. This would be a wonderful side to serve with some this vegan shepherd’s pie, or this vegan asparagus potato tart. Or you could just smush them over some buttered toast, take a hungry bite, and, for a moment, feel completely at peace with the world.