Radishes two ways - braised and quick pickled ginger radishes

Radishes are still available at the farmers market and are pretty decent from the store most of the year.  Here are two easy ways to use them that are both delicious and will add a little color and a little something different to your table and meal.

Braised radishes
Cooking radishes makes them sweet and tender and the taste and texture is so far from what you know of spicy, crunchy raw radishes. I cook braised radishes similar to butter braised carrots or parsnips and you can dress them similarly. If you've never had cooked radishes, try this sometime soon.

Serves 2-3 as a side dish

• About a 1 lb. bunch of radishes, or 1 small bag of radishes from the supermarket, trimmed and halved, larger ones quartered
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. Spanish smoked paprika or pimenton
• 1 tsp. kosher salt, more to taste
• 1 Tbsp. honey, more to taste

In a pan, heat up the butter and olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the pimenton and stir until its well-incorporated.  Add the radishes, salt and water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and cover.  Let the radishes simmer for about 10 min.  Remove the lid and let them continue to simmer and the water will evaporate.  The radishes will then start to brown a little bit in the remaining butter and oil. Add the honey and stir in well.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Serve with a bit of freshly ground pepper.

Quick pickled ginger radishes
Serve these quick pickles as a side to anything really. They also go great with Asian food as is, or take some pickles out into a bowl and drizzle with a little soy sauce and a few twists of freshly ground pepper, stir and let them sit a few minutes - perfect for eating along with rice.

This makes enough to fill a typical mason jar.

• 1 small bunch of radishes, about 10 large radishes, trimmed and quartered
• 1/2 cup white vinegar, or rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 x 1" pieces of ginger, peeled, lightly bruised
• 8 whole peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. sugar

This is my easy way to make some quick pickles.  Put your radish quarters and pieces of ginger in your mason jar or glass jar.  In a Pyrex glass measuring cup, add your vinegar, water, salt and sugar and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes until hot and almost boiling.  Stir and dissolve the sugar and salt.  Add the peppercorns and stir a bit.

Pour over the radishes until you have filled up the jar.  Let it cool, twist on your cap and put them in the fridge and let them pickle for as little as 2 hours before serving, or let them sit overnight and refrigerate.

Eat them within a few days as they will start to lose their crunch.