The Radiant Radish
The radish is an often overlooked and a somewhat forgotten vegetable in the UK, but these small, vibrant roots are just a delight. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours, but we like the quintessential red globes the best!
The crisp crunch of a radish evokes memories of childhood, of Peter Rabbits escapades to steal his favourite food from Mr McGregor. The refreshing, almost peppery, taste mimics the fresh Spring days of April when the blossom is blooming, and the birds are chirping.
The radiant radish is our favourite April vegetable.
Grow
Radishes are one of the easiest and quickest vegetables to grow, and can be on your plate within a month of sowing. But that doesn’t take away from their magic – each one is bursting with flavour.
Due to their versatility, they can be grown at any time of the year, but their best season is in Spring or Early Summer.
At Sprout, radishes can be grown with our indoor subscription – their small size making them perfect for a windowsill!
Harvest
The key to radishes is to harvest them regularly, not letting them get too big – they can get tough and a bit bitter if left in for too long! The perfect size depends on the variety grown – for the ones grown with Sprout, you want to harvest them when the globes are 2-3cm wide.
Individual plants can be pulled straight out by holding at the base of the leaves.
Eat
Radishes are best served fresh from harvest – just wash off any soil, remove the leaves, and slice the red globe thinly for a zingy accompaniment to any salad.
They are also delicious in their own right, and can be fried slowly in butter with a dash of lemon juice, for a quick treat of a lunch.
If you’re having a bumper harvest with too many radishes to eat fresh, why not try pickling them?
Slice them up thinly and fill up an old jam jar. Mix together the pickling mixture of 1 cup of warm water, ½ cup of cider vinegar, 1 tbsp of sugar and a pinch of salt, and pour it into the jar with the radishes. Let it set for at least an hour, and hey presto!