Ain’t Nobody Dope As Me I’m Dressed So Fresh So Spicy

Okay! The first recipe for the first veg harvested from our very own garden this year! I’m so excited! We’ve already been using our radishes for a few weeks on salads, but radishes actually intensify in flavor, and can get pretty spicy the longer you leave them in the ground. Ours were getting quite bitey, and some almost carrot sized, so we needed to harvest them.

Then we needed some way to consume a large amount of spicy radishes, hence the invention of the delicious bounty of goodness pictured above. Looks fabulous, huh?

Recipe after the jump (plus bonus recipe!)

Edamame Radish Spring Salad

I buy those 16oz bags of shelled frozen edamame from my local Asian grocery, Tran’s Market. (I love you Tran’s!) Rinse and drain well and toss it in a bowl. Add a bunch of radishes cut into thick slices or chunks. I used about a dozen of our substantial roots. (BTW the word radish actually comes from the Latin radix, meaning root).

Coarsely chop a large handful of fresh cilantro and add that. Pour in about 3Tbsp of rice vinegar and/or flavored vinegar of your choice. I used about half rice and half of my garlic basil infused white vinegar, seen in dwindling supply above. Season to taste with ample salt and coarsely ground fresh pepper. Toss together and serve whenever. It can sit and marinate, but it’s pretty good fresh too!

Artichoke with Mayo-Dill Dip

I’m sure you’ve also noticed the lovely artichokes on our tablescape. If you want to know, the best way to cook and eat artichokes is as follows:

Make dip ahead of time: mayo, lemon juice, garlic powder or oil, dried dill weed, salt.

Boil your chokes in enough water to submerge, with salt, half a lemon squeezed and dropped in, and about 4-8 whole cloves of garlic smacked a bit to better release the flavor. About 35-50 minutes should do, depending on size.

Dip each delicious leaf and scrape every last bit off!