Grilled radish tacos.Julie Van Rosendaal/The Globe and Mail
Let’s talk about radishes.
Though our minds may go to the small, round red globes and oblong pink and white breakfast radishes you often see bundled at grocery stores and farmers’ markets, they come in a huge range of colours, shapes and sizes. The smaller varieties grow quickly and can be harvested throughout the summer, which is satisfying for the home gardener. Whether you grow or buy them, one of the best things about radishes is their ability to show up in contrasting textures and flavours in one dish – juicy, crunchy, soft and roasty.
Often we slice one or two over a salad or toasted bagel and cream cheese, or perhaps drag a few through cool, soft butter and sprinkle with flaky salt, neglecting the rest to go spongy. Rarely are their edible green tops used – generally they wind up in the compost bin. But radish leaves provide a fresh hit of green, have a mild flavour, and though larger leaves can be a bit prickly, they’re perfect for grinding into fresh herby sauces, chopping and sautéing into pastas, curries and stir-fries, or tossed into a smoothie if you’re looking for a boost of calcium, magnesium and vitamins C and K.
In recent years, people have become very into roasting radishes, which not only picks up the pace – you cook more at once – it completely transforms them from something with the texture of an apple, to close to that of a roasted waxy potato. During radish season, you may not want to turn your oven up to roasting temperatures, in which case you can cook them on the grill, or in a skillet set on your stovetop, or over an open fire. Toss them directly onto your grilling rack whole, or cut them in halves or quarters to maximize surface area if you’re using something flat, like a skillet, for those cut sides to come into contact with. Cook until they brown and blister, and don’t worry about whether they’re soft all the way through, or still retain some inner crunch.
Grilled Radish Tacos
Grilled or seared radishes pair well with other taco fillings – try grilling some halloumi or a few shrimp alongside the radishes, or roughly mashing some black or kidney beans in a hot skillet with cumin, chili powder and salt. The measurements here are flexible – radishes (and their greens) vary greatly in size and shape, so be your own judge of how many you’d like to cook. (This is an excellent meal to make when you’re cooking for one or two; the pickled radishes and radish-greens salsa will keep in the fridge all week and are also delicious on other things.)
- radishes – aim for 2-4 per taco, depending on their size
- canola, olive or other vegetable oil, for cooking
- salt or Tajín, to taste
Pickled radishes:
- 3-6 radishes, depending on their size
- rice vinegar or lime juice
- sugar
Radish greens salsa:
- a few radish leaves
- a handful of fresh cilantro (stems too)
- a green onion or a few chives
- a garlic scape (or two) – if you have them – or a garlic clove
- a small jalapeño
- lime juice
- olive oil
- halloumi or other firm grillable cheese (optional)
- small corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Preheat your grill or set a skillet over high heat, and add a drizzle of oil. Cut your radishes in half or quarters (or leave them whole, if you find it easier to grill them that way) and cook, turning as needed, seasoning them with salt or Tajín, until deep golden and/or charred. If you like, toss slices of halloumi on the grill or into the skillet and cook until deep golden on both sides.
To make the pickled radishes, slice a few radishes, stacking the slices and slicing again into matchsticks. Put them in a bowl and drizzle with rice vinegar or lime juice; add a big pinch of sugar and a smaller pinch of salt and toss to combine. Set aside.
To make the salsa, chop or pulse your radish leaves, cilantro, green onion, garlic and jalapeño by hand or in a food processor until it looks like mulch; add a good squeeze of lime juice, a generous pour of olive oil – enough to loosen it up – and a big pinch of salt. Taste and add more lime or salt if needed.
To serve, layer grilled cheese, grilled radishes, pickled radishes and radish-greens salsa in warmed tortillas; wrap and eat.
Serves as many as you like.