Spring Radishes
Cooking Tips
- They are most often eaten raw in salads.
- They can also be braised, steamed or boiled in soups or stews, going especially well with Asian style soups. They lose their much of their spiciness when cooked.
- Use radishes to make a summery, peppery salsa.
Details
The small red globes that immediately come to mind are the most common type out of many varieties of spring radishes. They like cool weather so can be planted in spring and then again in the fall for a second crop. In the heat of the summer they can become too spicy or bitter for most palates.
When purchasing radishes from the market, inspect the leaves for flea beetle holes. Flea beetles do not harm the edible part of the radish, but they are an indicator of whether the plant has been sprayed with pesticides. If there are holes, it was most likely raised organically. If there are no holes, inquire about how the farmer controls the flea beetles. According to the Organic Gardener’s Bible (Cox, 2006), “Beware the grower whose radishes have perfect leaves and who tells you he’s organic and doesn’t have a problem with flea beetles. This pest is ubiquitous…”
Nutrition: A half-cup serving provides 20 percent daily value of vitamin C, though not much else.
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