Recipe: French Radish Salad On Buttered Baguettes

In honor of the Easter weekend, I wanted to share one of my favorite simple recipes that's perfect for holiday visitors, an appetizer with guests, or simply snacking!

This makes a beautiful presentation and it's perfect for spring, although I've also made it with winter radishes as a Thanksgiving appetizer as well. You can use any type of radishes, but my favorite are the beautiful watermelon variety - a huge and gorgeous winter radish that I grow every single fall. In fact, last fall, they did so well that we still had a few left for our Easter feast! But you could always use spring radishes as well - Easter Egg varieties would be lovely, or French breakfast radishes if that's what you have.

It does take a few minutes to prepare, but you can save time by slicing the radishes and making the herb butter and "salad" topping ahead of time. Then, just toast and butter the bread before compiling and serving. (Remember to set the butter out a few hours ahead of time to allow it to soften for spreading)

It's from one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, and it's amazingly delicious for such a simple recipe, but the French know what they're doing! As the accompanying text with the recipe says, "Leave it to the French to come up with one of the most indulgent, rustic-chic snacks of all time." :-)

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French Radish Salad On Buttered Baguettes

Serves: 8-12
Total Time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 10 TB European-style unsalted butter, softened
• 6 TB minced fresh chives
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 18-inch baguette, halved lengthwise and lightly toasted
• 8 oz. fresh radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
• Flake sea salt, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Combine softened butter with 1/4 cup minced chives, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a bowl and blend together well.
2. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons chives in a medium bowl. Add chopped parsley and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Spread butter mixture thickly over cut sides of baguette.
4. Layer the radishes evenly over the buttered bread, overlapping in a shingle or fish scale pattern.
5. Top with the parsley salad mixture, and sprinkle with flake sea salt.
6. Cut the baguette crosswise into 12 pieces and serve!

I hope you enjoy this simple and surprisingly delicious recipe as much as we do! It's a great way to use an abundance of garden-fresh radishes, or to impress your radish-loving friends and family. :-)

Happy Spring!  :-)

Rose.


Recipe Source: Vegetables Illustrated, by Cooks Illustrated.