Roasted Radish and Mushroom Salad with Mustard Pan Sauce
Man, radishes are rad, but they get such a bad rap. People either love them or hate them, those feelings based on the sad little balls of fire found on the occasional salad bar and never with the greens. I hope this recipe changes your mind, I hope you will give radishes a second chance, pan roasting them in a bit of fat takes away the bite and makes them delightfully sweet and a bit salty. So good! Radishes are ubiquitous at the chilly spring farmers markets in Idaho, for good reason, they have a relatively short time frame from planting to picking.
A few things can make a radish “hot” one of the biggest being…being the biggest! Larger radishes tend to be on the hotter side, the longer they are allowed to grow, the more myrosinase (an enzyme) develops. Radishes are in the same family as horseradish or turnips(brassica), which is why they have a similar heat that burns your nose, unlike a pepper (capsicum) which burns your tongue. It all comes down to the enzymes and sulfuric compounds contained in crucifers/brassicas. When you break or damage the cell wall the myrosinase is allowed to go to work on the glucosinolates contained in the plant— a lot of terminology I know. Bear with me here because its like a lock and key, the end products of the chemical reaction produce compounds like cancer fighting antioxidants (sulforaphane), and those protective of our kidneys, heart and vascular systems as well as blood pressure. Myrosinase quickly degrades in heat, so by finishing with mustard you regain the benefits, because you guessed it- mustard, another brassica is packed with myrosinase! Food science is cool! Food can be both health promoting and delicious.
Market was cold and wet yesterday, but it was still a glorious day to be out among my people! The sun finally came through just as market was wrapping up for the day. I was tired and cold to the bone! When I got home and unloaded all I could think about was something fast, easy and warm that I could snuggle up on the couch with, and this warm salad fit the bill just perfectly. Made with the most gorgeous radishes from J. Dozier Farms, Oyster Mushrooms from Groves Country Farms, Dill Mustard from Wagner’s Idaho Foods and some of the Grinder Blend Seasoning from A Pinch of Idaho.
Ingredients
1-2 Tbsp Bacon Fat or Olive Oil, or the drippings from 1 lb sausage (Hipwells Ranch)
1 bunch of radishes, washed, save greens (J.Dozier Farms)
1/4 lb Oyster Mushrooms (Groves Country Farms)
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Fresh Cracked Pepper Blend *or omit salt and pepper and use 2 tsp Greek Seasoning from A Pinch of Idaho
2 Tbsp dill mustard (Wagner's Idaho Foods)
1/4 cup balsamic or other sweet vinegar
1 tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp Butter, or Olive Oil
1 cup barley or farro, cooked according to package directions.
AIP Reintro Options
Omit Pepper, Mustard and Barley.
Method
Prepare the grain according to package directions. I love the instant pot for this, rinse until the water runs clear, then cover with water just until all grains are covered. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes with manual release. Perfectly cooked barley or farro every single time with almost no effort.
If using sausage, brown and crumble reserving the drippings in the pan.
Wash the radishes to remove any remaining soil. Cut in half or quarter depending on the size and shape of the radishes. You want the relative thickness to be similar so the cook time is consistent. Remove any thick fibrous stems from the leaves and drain really well ( a salad spinner works great)
Heat the pan drippings or olive oil over medium high heat until the pan just starts to smoke. Add radish pieces and let caramelize to pan for a few minutes before tossing. Season liberally. When radishes are cooked through add the mushrooms to the pan and toss until they have begun to brown. Add radish greens, torn into smallish bits. Continue cooking until just wilted. Clear the center of the skillet.
Add mustard and honey, then deglaze the pan with vinegar.
Add barley, gently toss to combine.