Description
These “Radish and Butter Bites” are a variation of crudité that is perfect for formal events and impressing your guests without filling them up too much before the main course.
Ingredients
12 radishes
1/2 lb room temperature sweet butter (you will have some leftover)
Maldon Salt for Sprinkling
Microgreens or chive, parsley, or tarragon sprigs (optional)
Instructions
Prep
Several hours before you plan to assemble and serve these Radish and Butter Bites, set the butter out to warm and soften.
Trim the radishes, snipping the root end and cutting off the greens. Cut the radishes in half lengthwise. Slide the round, uncut, side of the radish over a mandolin or the slicer blade of your food processor (about 1/16th” or 1 mm thick). This will help them stand without rolling around. Reserve the colorful circles that are left for garnishing.
Fit a pastry/piping bag with a small star tip. Load the butter into the pastry bag. You will only need about 4 tablespoons of butter for 2 dozen “bites” but you need to fill the bag enough to squeeze through the nozzle, expect to have some left over.
At this point, you can wrap and refrigerate the radishes and little round slices until ready to assemble and serve. Keep butter at room temperature.
To Assemble
Pipe approx 1/2 t of butter per radish half.
Sprinkle each half-radish with a couple flakes of Maldon Salt.
Stand the radish round up in the butter.
Sprinkle with microgreens and fresh herbs if using.
Serve.
Variations
Some variations to try:
1) Whip the butter so it is nice and airy.
2) Mix into the butter a little bit of anchovy paste or roasted garlic paste.
3) Substitute salted butter for the unsalted butter and reduce/omit the salt.
4) Use the small white tokyo turnips in place of radish or mixed in with the radish.
Equipment
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Notes
You cannot refrigerate these once they have been piped with butter because the butter will become hard. The soft creaminess of the butter is an important part of the dish.
If you assemble and salt these ahead of time, the salt will cause the radish to weep water and the butter may slide right off. Salt can also wilt the microgreens.
These should be assembled right before you plan to serve them. Without microgreens, in a shady place, these radishes will look and taste great for about 1-2 hours. With microgreens, that time is reduced to about 30 minutes – less if it’s hot out.