Radishes with Nasturtium Butter and Maldon Salt

Radishes with butter and salt is a quintessential French thing. The traditional way of serving them is slicing the radishes  in the center, but not through the stem, and sandwich them with a bit of butter that oozes out of the sides. You then dip them in good quality salt that would stick to the butter and you pop them into your moth. there is something about this simple food that is so fresh and appealing. The crispness of the radishes against the softness of the butter, the spicy-sweet flesh against the salty crunch of the sea salt. It’s special.

Another way to serve them is to rinse them well, keep the greens on to show their freshness and serve as “handle”, and to place the butter and salt in small dishes for the guests to serve themselves.

Instead of plain butter I made nasturtium butter with the petals and leaves of the abundance of nasturtium growing in my rooftop garden. The butter recipe is posted here but basically, soften the butter, add chopped nasturtium petal and put in a dish.

It could not be simpler, but as they say, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Ingredients:

A bunch of beautiful, crisp and fresh radishes with green leaves attached.

Unsalted butter or use nasturtium butter

Special large flake sea salt, such as maldon salt or fleur de sel

Directions:

Serve the radishes as they are with small bowls of butter and salt for guest to help themselves.

Alternatively, slice radishes in half vertically keeping the stem end intact so the two halves are held together. Spread butter inside and press shut, letting some butter ooze outside.

Dip in sea salt.

Arrange on a plate to serve.

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