Ravishing Radish Relish

"What do I know of man's destiny? I could tell you more about radishes."

-Samuel Beckett

Radishes are the flavor of earth. They are the essence of root and indulgent darkness. They are not the sweaty, sultry nights of the south, bathed like greens in butter, they are the crisp chill summer evenings of the north. They are little red rebels growing underground into fiery globes that protest upon the tongue. Radishes make mouths water and taste buds tingle in excitement. Radishes appeal to the deep and ruddy soul.

When I bought the packet of radish seeds I wasn't really thinking about what I was going to do with the radishes when (or if) they grew. I saw the picture of the perfect globular roots on the packaging and imagined the crisp crunch between my teeth, the fiery flavor settling on my tongue. I suppose I did imagine eating radishes as I decided to plant them, but I did not imagine that the seeds I placed in the ground, watered and tended to would be so overwhelmingly prolific. I began pulling full grown radishes out of the dark earth of my garden in the last week of June. At first, I sliced them and enjoyed them atop salads. Last week I realized I had more radishes than I could feasibly eat on salads on my own.

I found an abundance of recipes for "Pickled Radishes" and although I am sure this process would preserve the radishes nicely, it just did not seem appetizing. Somewhere in a forum I stumbled upon a recipe for "Radish Relish." Relish seemed like the perfect home for my radishes. Relish should have zing. It should have a little bit of sweetness and a little bit of fire. Radish relish was the solution to my excess radish predicament.

I took the recipe from the forum and adjusted it to my own tastes. It landed somewhere between a relish, a salsa, and a bruschetta topping. Although it is hard to name, it is not hard to eat on top of a bit of crusty bread or a cracker.

Ravishing Radish Relish

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
3 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1 Large Onion (chopped)
1 Handful Fresh Basil (chopped)
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
Italian Seasoning (to taste)
1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Garlic
1/4 Cup Vinegar
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Cups Sliced Radishes


Heat a medium size pan on the stove top over medium heat. Add the olive and sesame oils. Add the minced garlic and cook for about one minute.
Add the diced onion and basil and saute until the onion just starts to become opaque.


Season with chili powder and Italian seasoning.
Stir in the tomatoes, vinegar, and half of the lemon juice.


Turn heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer while you slice the radishes.
Drizzle the sliced radishes with the remaining lemon juice.
Place the sliced radishes in a bowl or the bottom of a large canning jar.



After about fifteen minutes, pour the hot mixture over the sliced radishes. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and then put in the refrigerator to chill overnight.


Serve the relish mixture atop toasted crispy bread or crackers.