A Winter Radish Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, on a very recent Friday evening, a certain Famiglia Dilettare found themselves hungry and cold, searching for the perfect vegetable side dish to an artfully doctored jar of pasta sauce and a box of rigatoni. Now Mama Dilettare, having bartered the family's last cow for a local winter CSA share, opened the refrigerator with a heavy heart, knowing that she would find only a motley collection of root vegetables, including half-a-dozen white winter radishes (which gave her a bit of a fright). The two bambini languished at her feet, weak with hunger. Mama briefly considered the kind babysitting offer from the woman who lived in the lovely gingerbread house in the forest behind the back forty, but thought the better of it. Gingerbread would surely spoil supper for her poor dears.

As the pasta sauce bubbled on the stove, Mama's eyes fell upon a not-yet withered clementine, and like a magic bean, a seed was planted in her mind. As the bambini poked at the ashes in the cold fireplace (the stove was much more efficient with fuel), Mama sliced, diced and spun those humble radishes into culinary gold. As she set the table, her woodsman husband tromped in, spreading cold air and snow over the rushes. He had a sad tale of their neighbor Bianca, and a fight with her father's latest squeeze that left Bianca homeless (it appears the hubby had to help the poor lass out of a bit of a bind). Although Mama felt for the poor girl, her own children were hungry, and she couldn't wait to share the radish-y revelation with her husband.

The children eyed their radish slices with suspicion, but quickly left their fears behind after tentative first bites. Heartily, the woodsman tucked into his portion, then boomed his approval in a manly voice. Mama simpered ... it was nothing, really. After all, couldn't anyone turn a winter radish into gold?

That evening, the children settled into their beds, with visions of obscure root vegetables dancing in their heads.
Finis

And here is the recipe, for those mamas (and dads) stuck with mild winter radishes, hungry kids, and only a few minutes to get dinner on the table.

Mama's White Radish Salad

3 medium white winter radishes
1 orange (or clementine, if you must)
1/3 c olive oil
1 lemon
1t dried or 1T fresh mint (thyme, marjoram, parsley or basil would also work)
salt and pepper to taste

Wash, halve, and thinly slice the winter radishes. Place in a medium to large bowl. Peel and section (if you're fussy) the orange. Slice the sections into small chunks. Combine with radish slices.

In a separate dish, whisk together olive oil, the juice of the lemon, and the dried or fresh herbs. Season with a dash or salt and a few grinds of pepper. Combine with radish mixture, and serve.

Buon Appetito.