A Hungry Bear

We have been getting a lot of radishes in our CSA box - sometimes 2 big bunches per week. There’s no way we could eat them all if we only sliced them fresh for salads, so I had to do some research to find a way to use them up. I was skeptical when I read a recipe on The Kitchn that said radishes could be almost sweet and caramelized when braised in a little balsamic vinegar, but they were right.

Ingredients: 1 pound radishes, 4 shallots, 1 Tablespoon butter, 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup chopped parsley.

Chop off the ends of the radishes and slice in half lengthwise. Thinly slice the shallots, and finely chop the parsley.

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet (one with a lid). Saute the shallots over medium heat until they are translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add the radishes, arranging them all cut-side down. Don’t stir them - you want the bottoms of the radishes to caramelize.

Pour in the balsamic and water. There should be enough liquid to come half way up the sides of the radishes. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Remove the lid and allow the liquid to continue simmering, until it has evaporated and turned into a syrupy consistency, another 5 minutes or so. Add the parsley, and plenty of salt and pepper, and cook for another minute.