Purple and Pink Easter Egg Radish, French Breakfast Radish, Black Spanish Radish, Watermelon Radish, Chioggia Beet, Kirby Cucumber, Radish Greens, Nasturtium Leaves, Pork Fat, Hawaii Volcanic Sea Salt
I've written here before about one of the world's greatest chef's feelings on the proper way to eat a radish. Fergus Henderson, Chef and owner of St. John's Restaurant in London, believes that fresh radishes should be eaten very simply with some fresh butter and sea salt. I eat them this way very frequently and I agree with Chef Henderson that they are perfect this way. I started eating them with pork fat last year and would argue that they are just as good this way as well. Whenever I whole roast a pork shoulder I always save the fat that collects in the pan and chill it for other uses. It is seasoned from the brine and has an amazing flavor from the roasting process. Disposing of fat is a culinary sin.
I was spreading the fat onto some bread one day, and I guess I had some radishes in front of me, and the idea dawned on me. If the fat was a great substitute for butter on bread than surely it would do my radish justice. And it most certainly did. I encourage everyone to try this application. You don't even need a plate. Just save your pork fat.
You can probably figure out very easily what went on here. This dish came together in a matter of minutes. I simply sliced all of the radishes, cucumber and beet very thinly. I spread the pork fat onto the plate with an offset metal spatula and arranged the vegetables on top of it. Next I carefully placed the nasturtium and radish greens on top of the veggies. I sprinkled the plate with the sea salt to finish.
Product:
Organic Black and Watermelon Radish - Culton Organics
Organic Kirby Cucumber - Culton Organics
Organic Easter Egg Radish - Weaver's Way
Organic Chioggia Beet - Culton Organics
Organic Nasturtium Leaves - My Garden
Pastured Pork Fat - Stryker Farms
I was spreading the fat onto some bread one day, and I guess I had some radishes in front of me, and the idea dawned on me. If the fat was a great substitute for butter on bread than surely it would do my radish justice. And it most certainly did. I encourage everyone to try this application. You don't even need a plate. Just save your pork fat.
You can probably figure out very easily what went on here. This dish came together in a matter of minutes. I simply sliced all of the radishes, cucumber and beet very thinly. I spread the pork fat onto the plate with an offset metal spatula and arranged the vegetables on top of it. Next I carefully placed the nasturtium and radish greens on top of the veggies. I sprinkled the plate with the sea salt to finish.
Product:
Organic Black and Watermelon Radish - Culton Organics
Organic Kirby Cucumber - Culton Organics
Organic Easter Egg Radish - Weaver's Way
Organic Chioggia Beet - Culton Organics
Organic Nasturtium Leaves - My Garden
Pastured Pork Fat - Stryker Farms