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Easy Non-Salad Radish Ideas
I love radishes and am always drawn to the pretty color of a pile of radishes. Most of us just slice them into a green salad and the left-over radishes die a fateful death in the fridge. Here are some non-salad ideas that will expand your radish repertoire.
Radish Sauté – It doesn’t really occur to many people that you can cook radishes (as with cucumbers). It’s so simple to sauté radishes in olive oil or butter. They are delicious and make you appreciate radishes in a while new way.
Kimchi – Sprinkle the radishes with a bit of kosher salt and a little chili paste. Toss together and then pack them into a glass jar. Place in the back of the fridge for two weeks. Excellent on top of a burger.
Butter & Sea Salt – A fine butter and a pinch of sea salt on top of a radish slice make the perfect summer bite.
Radish “Sauerkraut” – Slice 1 pound of radishes and toss with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Pack tightly into a glass jar. Weigh down with a wrapped can and place on a shelf for two weeks. Makes a great addition to a sandwich.
Shaved & Lightly Poached In A Tasty Liquid – Slivers of radish dropped in a simmering stock and/or wine for 10 seconds are a great compliment to fresh fish. They let go of their bite, but retain some of their unique crunch we all know and love.
Braised – Sauté a little onion and garlic. Add in some radish quarters and a healthy splash of red wine. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of lemon or dash of vinegar. Excellent draped over a grilled steak or pork chop.
Pickled – Slice some 1/4 inch coins and throw them into a jar. Pour brine over them (1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup water and 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar). You may want to throw in a few dried chilis if you want a bit of spice. Let sit in your fridge for a week.
Soup – Simmered for 30 minutes in a soup. The radishes will take on a sweet and velvety character.
Grated – Grate the radishes along with some freshly grated ginger and use as a condiment with any oily fish such as trout or mackerel.
Roasted – Quarter and toss with a little olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast in an oven at 425º F for 20 minutes. They should be a little brown and will become sweet. Toss them with some toasted nuts. They are a great side dish at any potluck picnic.
Portuguese “Port” Muffins
Most of you know that I don’t write about a product or a restaurant unless I really like it. These “Ports” or Portuguese muffins have become a big thing here in New York City. Port Muffins are a bit larger and flatter than regular English muffins. They’re a bit sweeter, but not too sweet or sugary. They are billed as “The 3 Meal Muffin” because you can have them for breakfast, use them for sandwiches for lunch or use them for hamburger buns for dinner. I like to serve them toasted for a weekend breakfast when making bacon and eggs. I love to slather them with apricot-peach jam.
Port Muffins are made by Central Bakery in Fall River, MA. Central Bakery is a family owned bakery that’s been operating since 1975. Apparently, the owner, Dave Lopes’, grandmother brought her recipe from the Azores in Portugal hence the bakery was born. The muffins were originally molded by hand and soon became an instant hit. These days the muffins are made by using a small electric bread mold in order to produce thousands of muffins per week. Currently, these Port Muffins are a bit difficult to find. I know that you can find them at Citarella and Dean & Deluca here in New York City. If you can’t find them in your area then ask your local grocer to stock them or special order them for you. I have totally broken up with the commercial English muffins (you know who you are) and will only buy Port Muffins. As a matter of fact I buy extras and store them in the freezer so that I don’t run out.
Here is what my West Coast Portuguese friend Carol says, “These muffins are the greatest! They remind me in a sort of way of my mother’s Portuguese sweet bread in a muffin form! Yum”
Here’s the info:
Central Bakery
711 Pleasant Street
Fall River, MA 02723
(508) 675-7620
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Happy Mother’s Day To All Of The Mothers, Grandmothers, Step-Mothers & Women Who Mother Those In Need Of Mothering!
Mother’s Day Brunch
Put mom in a good mood this Sunday and make Mother’s Day a special day with a memorable brunch. When my children were younger they often made me breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day. They made me promise to stay in bed propped up on pillows while they wobbled trays of pancakes, sausage, fresh juice and chopped fruit to my bed. These breakfasts made by little hands were so sweet. They were so proud of themselves that they would hop up on my bed all smiles asking if they each could have a sausage or piece of bacon. Before I knew it they would eat my entire “breakfast in bed.”
Eggs Benedict
Mother’s Day Scramble
Eggs Florentine With Waffles & Hollandaise
Pecan Pancakes
Lemon Curd French Toast
Melon Balls
Mixed Berries With Crème Fraiche
Raspberry Parfaits With Yogurt & Granola
Cherry Pecan Scones
Cherry Almond Quick Bread
Roasted Tomatoes
Hash Browns With Fresh Chives
Sweet Potato Hash Browns
Smoked Sausage
Smoked Bacon
Smoked Salmon
Freshly Brewed Coffee or Tea
Fresh Squeezed OJ
Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice
Mother’s Day Mimosas
Citrus Spritzers
Bloody Marys
