Mediterranean Radish Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A commitment to support community agriculture can have unexpected consequences. Produce that's locally grown can be unfamiliar or something that you have, in the past, avoided eating. Greens and beans and peppers I never dreamed of cooking a few short years ago, now regularly appear on our table. The only downside to this, is the occasional scramble to find ways in which to cook the new offerings, or the inevitable backlog that occurs with some of the vegetables. Scallions and radishes seem to procreate in my vegetable crisper, so it should come as no surprise that I recently found myself with a glut of radishes that simply had to be addressed. Fortunately, I remembered a recipe for a salad that had originally come from a nutritional program at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center. I had made it once before, and the fact that I still had the recipe was an indication that we enjoyed the salad. While a radish salad may not be to everyone's liking, I can heartily recommend this one for its flavor, crispness and wholesome goodness. It's also easy to make if you have a food processor. The only thing to keep in mind is that the radishes will bleed if made too soon before serving. Here's the recipe.

Mediterranean Radish Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Ingredients:
4 bunches radishes (about 48 radishes), cleaned, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt to taste
8 leaf lettuce leaves

Directions:
1) Place radishes in a large bowl.
2) Combine lemon juice, olive oil and cayenne in a small bowl.
3) Pour dressing over radishes, add parsley and mix well. Season with salt to taste.
4) Place one lettuce leaf on each of 8 salad plates. Mound a portion of radish mixture over top of each. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.

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Cucumber and Radish Salad - Cooking By the Seat of My Pants
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Radish, Cucumber and Beet Salad - Two Fat Als
Simple Radish Salad - Chubby Panda
Healthy Green Bean and Radish Salad - Serious Eats
Radish Salad - Mark Bittman

Corn and Radish Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Sweet corn has started to appear in our farmer's markets. It's not local, but I'm always so anxious for the first corn of summer that I break my own rules and buy it anyway. Sweet corn has become part of our Independence Day celebration, so I not fussy about its country or state of origin. It's a carry over from my Midwestern childhood, when corn on the cob was a treat and as much a part of the celebration as watermelon or fireworks. We stopped at a farm stand on the 4th and bought ten ears of corn. Six of them were gone before the sun had set, but I wanted to make sure the remaining ears were put to good use. I have a decade old recipe from Bon Appetit magazine that makes a spicy salad with corn, radishes and jalepenos. It is easy to do and it is a perfect dish to serve with Mexican or Southwestern food. Those last ears of corn were destined to become this lovely summer salad. While it can be made a day ahead of serving, the radishes will bleed and change the color of the salad if it sits that long. I skirt the issue by combining all the ingredients, except the radishes, the day before I need the salad. I add the radishes to the mix about an hour before I plan to serve it. That gives me the flavor of a long marinade and the color and crispness of fresh radishes. Cut the radishes as thinly as you can, A mandolin is ideal for this task, but to be honest I use a paring knife. It's easier than having to drag out and assemble the mandolin when so little knife work is required. I hope you'll consider this lovely, fresh salad the next time you are planning a Southwestern or Mexican meal. It is very nice. Here's the recipe.

Corn and Radish Salad with Jalapenos and Lime...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 4 ears)
3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes
6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3-1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalepeño chilies

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving. Yield: 6 servings

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Corn and Edamame Succotash - One Perfect Bite
Corn Salad with Edamame and Tomatoes - One Perfect Bite
Watermelon, Black Bean and Corn Salsa - One Perfect Bite
Grilled Corn Salad - Simply Recipes
Mark Bittman's Pan Roasted Corn and Tomato Salad - Champaign Taste
Fresh Sweet Corn Salad - Bake Space