Two leitmotivs in my cooking process are thoughtfulness and zen. A recent illustration of this approach is a variation on the traditional French small bite : radis beurre et fleur de sel (red radish with butter and fleur de sel).
Red radish? Too mundane, might you think. You have a point, given that the root was fed to the laborers working on the Egyptian pyramids. But consider this: radishes contain about 42% as much vitamin C as fresh oranges, help improve your digestion and hold anti-cancerous properties. There are some stunning varieties boasting vivid red, purple, or fuchsia colors. The sheer sophistication of the root’s taste may also surprise you at times. Crunchy, juicy, with a peppery finish that sometimes reminds us of Dijon mustard. Not so bad for a small root!
Now, back to the radis-beurre-fleur de sel combination. It brings salty and smooth qualities to the tangy, peppery flavors of the vegetable. As such, it is a perfect, perfectly simple concept. Keeping that in mind, my variation replaces salt with caviar, butter with home-made customized crème fraîche, and adds some texture and flavor sparkles with a savory meringue and lemon pulp. Still simple, yet more colorful and tasty.
Oh, and did you know that radish greens can be used in a variety of dishes, including raw in blended drinks or in salads? They can also substitute for arugula.
Bon appétit!




