A bunch of radishes may look daunting for the uninitiated, but the subject of this week’s Root Source is actually one of the quickest and easiest vegetables to prepare. How you do so depends on the radish variety you choose, and on how (and whether you plan to cook them).

Start by thoroughly washing them: Cut off radish greens, leaving an inch or so attached to the radish, plunge them into a bowl of cold water and pat them dry.

If you plan on eating the radishes with your fingers you can leave little bit of their stem — which looks nice and works like a handle — attached. Then, depending on their size, cut the radishes either in half or into quarters, lengthwise.

For tossing into salads and sandwiches and for quick pickling, just thinly slice them. A small pairing knife is a good tool for this but you could also use a mandoline.

If you plan on cooking your radishes whole — for glazing, sautéing, roasting and braising — cut them into same-sized pieces for even cooking.

If you want to put a little more effort into presentation, try partially peeling the longer varieties that have brightly colored skin.

Or simply halve or quarter inside-out radishes with white outsides and pink hearts to let that show.

And what about the wispy roots? You can just snip them off with your fingers or quickly slice off with a paring knife — or leave them as they are perfectly edible.

Radishes can lose their crunch if left in the refrigerator too long. You can revive them by soaking them in cold water. If you’re planning to keep them for just a few days, you can also store whole radishes in just enough water to cover in the refrigerator, which will keep them crisp.

Related: Radishes: The Raw And The Cooked (Cookthink blog)
Related: Two Easy Radish Appetizers (Cookthink blog)
Related: Root Source: Radish (Cookthink)
Recipes: Radish recipes from Cookthink.com

Posted by brys in how to, ingredients, techniques | | Subscribe to this feed