Serves 4 to 6 TIME 30 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
The crisp texture of radishes holds up well to high-heat roasting, yielding a tender but meaty interior. Roasting radishes also mellows the spiciness of the roots, concentrating their natural sugars for nutty sweetness. To facilitate browning and complement the nuttiness of the radishes, we tossed them in a mixture of melted butter and white miso and then roasted them on the bottom rack of the oven. The butter produced superior browning on the cut side while the miso added a pleasing savory quality. To make the most of our radishes, we used the mild, peppery green tops in a simple salad, pairing them with a tangy yogurt-tahini sauce and a sprinkling of pistachios and sesame seeds.
ROASTED RADISHES INGREDIENTS
½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 4 teaspoons juice, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ teaspoon plus 1⁄8 teaspoon table salt, divided
¼ teaspoon pepper, divided
2 tablespoons chopped toasted pistachios or almonds
1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
5 ½ teaspoons white miso, divided
1 ½ teaspoons honey, divided
2 pounds radishes with their greens, radishes trimmed and halved lengthwise, 8 cups greens reserved
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
BEFORE YOU BEGIN COOKING YOUR ROASTED RADISHES
If you can’t find radishes with their greens, you can substitute baby arugula or watercress.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Whisk yogurt, tahini, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon juice, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in bowl; set aside for serving. Combine pistachios, sesame seeds, cumin, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in small bowl; set aside for serving.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Whisk melted butter, 5 teaspoons miso, 1 teaspoon honey, and ¼ teaspoon salt in large bowl until smooth. Add radishes and toss to coat. Arrange radishes cut side down on prepared sheet and roast until tender and well browned on cut side, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Whisk oil, remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, remaining ⅛ teaspoon pepper, remaining ½ teaspoon miso, and remaining ½ teaspoon honey in clean large bowl until smooth. Add radish greens and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, spread portions of yogurt-tahini sauce over bottom of individual serving plates. Top with roasted radishes and radish greens, then sprinkle with pistachio mixture.
