Radishes were never big on my “have to have list”.  As you can see by the photo above, these are the tiny, spring radishes that you can find at the Farmer’s Market, where I found these one June.  Together with small cucumbers (I buy the mini kind, packaged in 5/6 to a package and fairly symmetrical in size), these make an unbelievably yummy, crunchy salad.  If you can’t get miniature cukes, use english or regular.  If you use larger cukes, cut in half lengthwise and seed them first.  Then cut into moons.  Worth it.  Also, if you have time, sprinkle some salt on them, let them drain for 30 minutes, rinse and towel dry.  The more water you can get out makes them crunchier.

Cucumber Radish Spring Salad

Ingredients:

• 4-5 mini cucumbers (or 1 English or 1 large regular)
• 1 bunch of spring radishes (you can use any radish, the key is slicing them THIN)
• 2-3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mirin (do NOT use mirin that contains corn syrup, use REAL mirin — Eden Foods makes a nice one)*
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• sea salt
• fresh snipped dill weed (you can use dried, but fresh is better), approx 1 T fresh minced
• 1-2 tsp honey, to taste, depending on how sweet you want it

*if you can’t find mirin without corn syrup, use a bit more rice vinegar

Instructions:

1. Wash the radishes and cucumbers. Trim off the ends. Thinly slice the radishes.
2. Peel the cucumber (optional). Halve the cucumber lengthwise if using large ones and seed them (don’t need to seed mini ones, as you can see in pic). Then thinly slice into circles or half-moons.
3. Place in a bowl, add rice vinegar, and sesame oil and dill weed.  Salt and agave to taste.
4. Serve room temp or chilled, your preference.  You can add small thin slices of red onion to this also.

This makes a fabulous first course, or a side dish to grilled fish, or meats.