Roasting boosts the flavor of radishes

Roasted radishes on a plate. / Getty Images/iStock/Tatiana Volgutova
Roasted radishes on a plate. / Getty Images/iStock/Tatiana Volgutova

I've been reading a good bit about roasted radishes as of late. Have I missed something? Am I late to the game? I haven't tried them until recently.

I've always liked radishes, but only sparingly in salads. They have a delightful crunch but tend to be a little on the peppery hot side. I'm in that less-is-more camp when raw radishes are on the menu.

They're a member of the cabbage family, though, so it's little wonder that radishes, like cabbage, would end up in the roasting pan.

Finding radishes set me off on a hunt since produce sections are experiencing shortages due to the still struggling supply chain.

Once I bagged a couple of bunches at the Publix in Hixson, into the oven they went. Like most roasted vegetables, they get a different flavor profile when you toss them in olive oil, add salt and herbs then bake at a high temperature. Think Brussels sprouts. Whoever first decided to roast them with some maple syrup and salt should be given the Nobel Prize for culinary discovery.

The same goes for radishes. Roasting them turns them into a food that resembles a red potato in appearance and texture. And the taste? Roasting neutralizes their sharp taste so the flavor is somewhat like a potato, and, like cauliflower, can be mashed with butter as a mashed potato substitute. Try tossing some onions with the same oil-herb mixture and roasting them alongside the radishes.

This is a wonderful low-carb, paleo-friendly side dish if you're still sticking to your New Year's health-conscious resolutions.

Garlic Roasted Radishes

2 pounds radishes, trimmed and halved

3 tablespoons olive oil or butter

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss radishes with olive oil and spices. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden and crispy. Season to taste with extra salt and pepper.

COFFEE ON THE GO

BlendJet, makers of battery-powered portable blenders that you can take wherever the road takes you - to work, on a hike, to the beach or to the gym - has launched an easy way to make a variety of healthy, cafe-quality blended coffee drinks in seconds. The new line of JetPack lattes comes in a range of flavors, from vanilla and caramel to chai, matcha, mocha and cinnamon-dolce.

The new lattes can be found at blendjet.com for $3.99 each or $2.99 each with a subscription. While you're there, check out the new BlendJet 2, five times more powerful than the original BlendJet.

RESTAURANT NEWS

Ruth's Chris Steak House, 2321 Lifestyle Way, is hosting a wine dinner featuring wines from Orin Swift Cellars, a new-wave winery in, your guessed it, California. With amazing flavor profiles and street-art-inspired wine labels on every bottle, Orin Swift wines follow a different path than traditional California wines.

The dinner, set for 6:30 p.m. March 31, will feature four courses paired with different wines. The main course, for example, will feature filet with peperonata rustica paired with Papillon Bordeaux red wine.

Nine Ruth's Chris restaurants around the South are participating, and some dinners are sold out. Tickets are $130 per person, plus tax and gratuity. You'll need to call the restaurant for reservations, 423-602-5900. For more information, visit ruthschris.net.

Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com or annebraly.com.

photo Anne Braly

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