Radishes and turnips (Photo provided — Yvona Fast)

Radishes are common fare in Europe and Asia, but many Americans avoid their spicy flavor. Most are only familiar with radishes as a garnish. Some add them to salads. But few have eaten them cooked. Cooking softens the crisp, crunchy texture of raw radishes, and mellows their flavor. When cooked, they’re similar to turnips — especially the Japanese hakurei, which resemble large radishes but are white rather than red.

The Asian native can still be found growing wild in parts of Asia, and has been cultivated for thousands of years in Central Asia and China. A cruciferous vegetable, radishes have cancer-protecting properties, and they’re rich in many minerals like sulfur, iron, and iodine. They’re low in calories and high in fiber and vitamin C. Like other dark greens – kale, spinach, chard – radish greens are extremely healthy for you! They contain lots of calcium and much more vitamin C than the radish bulbs do. Both roots and greens are best eaten when young and tender.

Feathery, delicate dill accents many vegetable dishes. Native to the Mediterranean region, dill is a common herb in Scandinavian, Central European and Russian cuisines. Although it does well in our cool climate, it needs full sun and rich, well-drained soil.

The Greeks considered dill a sign of wealth, and the Romans acclaimed its many healing properties. The herb is known to have calming properties, especially on the digestive system. Dill seed tea was used to relieve nausea and indigestion, and dill water to soothe colicky babies.

Modern medicine confirms that carvone, one of the volatile oils found in dill seeds, is a muscle relaxant. Other oils and flavonoinds in dill have anti-bacterial and anti-cancer properties. The herb is also rich in minerals, notably calcium but also iron, magnesium, manganese, vitamin C, and dietary fiber.

Fresh dill weed has much better flavor than the dried form of the herb. Look for bright green, feathery leaves. To store, cut a half inch off the bottom of the stems, and place in a glass with 1 inch of water in the fridge. Or, wrap the stems in a damp paper towel. Dill is highly perishable but if stored this way it will keep for a few days.

Use dill in vegetable, chicken, fish and egg dishes. The fragile flavor is easily destroyed by heat, so add at the last minute to cooked dishes like sauces, soups or stews.

For a quick, easy skillet supper, combine chicken breast with radishes and flavor with dill. The delicate flavor brightens the subtle flavor of cooked radishes.

Radish and chicken supper

Ingredients:

2 bunches radishes (about 3 dozen large radishes)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (12 – 16 oz.)

Coarse salt

Ground black pepper

About 3 dozen large radishes (2 bunches)

1 cup fresh minced dill weed

1 cup half and half or whole milk

1/2 teaspoon Paprika

2 Tablespoons flour

Directions:

Remove greens, stems and root ends from radishes. Scrub to remove sand and dirt. Slice, if desired (depending on size). Set aside.

Bring a saucepan with 1 cup chicken broth or 1 cup salted water to a boil. Add radishes. Lower heat to simmer; cook just until tender, five to seven minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Quickly brown it, two to four minutes per side. Set aside.

Chop dill and set aside. You want about 1 cup chopped snipped dill.

Dice reserved chicken.

Drain liquid from radishes into a jar. Add half and half or whole milk, paprika and flour. Shake vigorously to combine. Pour into skillet you sauteed the chicken in and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens.

Add chicken, radishes and dill to skillet, and stir to coat. Serve over cooked grain (like rice or quinoa) with a tossed salad. For a fancier presentation, place chicken, radishes and dill in serving bowl, and pour sauce over. Toss to coat. Serves 3 – 4.

Dilly new potatoes with chicken and radishes

Ingredients:

2 – 3 teaspoons butter or olive oil

1 large chicken breast (8 to 12 oz.)

1 pint small red-skinned potatoes (about 6 to 10, depending on size)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 onion

1 bunch radishes

1/2 cup broth or water

1/2 bunch dill (about 1 cup, minced)

Directions:

Remove greens, stems and root ends from radishes. Scrub to remove sand and dirt. Set aside. (You can add the washed, chopped radish greens in this dish, but it is optional).

Scrub potatoes, and slice in one-fourth-inch slices.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Quickly brown it, two to four minutes per side. Set aside.

Add butter to same skillet. Add potatoes, sprinkle with salt, cover, and cook, stirring every two to three minutes.

Peel and dice the onion; stir into the cooking potatoes. Add the scrubbed, halved radish bulbs. Moisten with broth. Cook together about 10 minutes, until potatoes and radishes are tender. Add reserved chicken. Add chopped greens now, if using.

In cup or bowl, stir together 1 cup sour cream with 1 Tablespoon flour. Add a little broth from the skillet to moisten. Stir this into the skillet, along with the chopped dill. Simmer one to two minutes for sauce to heat through.

Serve, with a tossed salad on the side. Serves two to three.

Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: cooking and writing. She can be reached at www.wordsaremyworld.com or on Facebook as Author Yvona Fast.