Author Notes
One of the things that excites me the most is to take a humble vegetable—like a simple radish—and turn it into something exquisite. —Viviane Bauquet Farre
Test Kitchen Notes
This method of slow-roasting leaves the roots caramelized and soft—very soft, like Broccoli Cooked Forever soft. If you’d prefer the roots to still have some tooth to them, consider roasting them uncovered for only 20 to 25 minutes. —The Editors
Ingredients
- For the radish-top soup:
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3 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
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4
shallots, skinned, halved, and finely sliced (1 1/4 cups)
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1/4 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
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2
garlic cloves, skinned and finely sliced
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8 ounces
Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/4 cups)
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3 cups
vegetable stock
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2 1/2 cups
spring water
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1 teaspoon
sea salt, or to taste
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freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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12 ounces
radish tops without the tough stems (or 12 ounces mustard greens), leaves and tender stems cut in 1/2-inch strips (14 cups loosely packed)
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1 tablespoon
crème fraîche
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lemon-infused oil as garnish
- For the roasted radish roots:
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12 ounces
watermelon radish roots (4 large), peeled and cut in 1/4-inch slices
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12 ounces
regular radish roots (14 large), unpeeled and quartered
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2 teaspoons
fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar
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1/2 teaspoon
sea salt, or to taste
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freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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1 tablespoon
maple syrup
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3 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
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To slow-roast the radish roots: Heat the oven to 425º F (218º C). Place the radishes in a heavy-bottomed nonstick roasting pan large enough to hold the slices in a single layer. Sprinkle with the fennel, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with the maple syrup and olive oil. Toss well, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes, until very tender, tossing once halfway through the cooking.
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Remove foil and toss vegetables carefully so as not to break them. Return to oven, uncovered, and bake for 12 to 15 additional minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and serve with the soup.
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To make the soup: Put a large heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, shallots, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Stir well and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened, stirring from time to time. Add the potatoes, stock, water, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Add the radish leaves, stir well, and continue to boil until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
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Add the crème fraîche and purée the soup with an immersion blender or a food processor until silky smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed and keep warm.
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Place a small mound of the roots on a plate. Ladle the soup in a small bowl and place next to the roots. Drizzle the infused oil on the soup and serve immediately.
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The soup will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator, or 1 month in the freezer.
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