V Is for Vegetables: Inspired Recipes & Techniques for Home Cooks -- from Artichokes to Zucchini

Braised Radishes with Honey & Black Pepper

“The man pulling radishes pointed my way with a radish.”

That 18Th-Century Haiku is by one of my favorite Japanese poets, Issa. Everyone who loves to eat appreciates the beauty and bounty of radishes, but it’s not always clear how to make the most of them.

Eating radishes whole is its own pleasure, but it may be a discovery that the roots, leaves, sprouts, and seedpods are all edible, too. Three ways to use them raw: Shaved, especially the long ones, then put in ice water to curl beautifully; grated, as a topping for fish or other vegetables; and sliced, cutting them into superfine matchsticks with red tips. Yet radishes are wonderful braised, roasted, fermented, salted, and even fried. Pairing radishes with such sweet things as honey, fruit (like peaches), and juices (like apple cider) mellows their sharpness.

Braising is a great way to soften radish roots and remove their spicy rawness. Without losing the character of the radish, this braise enhances it with the sweetness of honey, the aromatic quality of the black pepper, and the browned edges of the radish itself. This is an entirely different way to love radishes.

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1 pound radishes, halved

- 1 clove garlic, smashed

- 2 tablespoons honey

- 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper

- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

- Salt

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add half the radishes and all the garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the honey and pepper and let the honey caramelize, about a minute. Add the vinegar, the remaining radishes, and salt and cook until all the radishes are just warmed but not cooked soft.