Quick Pickles: Sweet Radish

Not everyone who works on the farm is going to love everything we grow. We’re only human, and we have subjective tastebuds just like all the other humans walking around the planet. And so, if one of us should think radishes are gross and dismiss them as “useless, solid, hot, crunchy water,” we have to be understanding. We have to allow for that radish short-sightedness.

But it also feels like our responsibility to turn that opinion around. So, that radish naysayer was given the task (punishment?) of finding a way to use radishes that made them actually enjoy eating radishes. Hence this week’s recipe for quick pickled radishes.

Does it feel a little like cheating to cure one’s dislike of a vegetable by drowning it in vinegar, salt, and sugar? Yes.

But because it’s ridiculously tasty, we’re gonna call this one a win anyway.

Ingredients

½ lb radishes, stem and root ends removed and cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
½ cup Rosé Vinegar (we used MadHouse Rosé Vinegar)
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water 
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

Makes about 1 pint jar  

Directions

Place radishes in a hot 1-pint jar. Bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil in a small stainless steel or enameled saucepan. 

Ladle hot pickling liquid over radishes. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band, and adjust to fingertip-tight. Let cool on a wire rack—about 1 hour. Chill at least six hours before serving. Store in refrigerator up to four months.