Tender, crunchy radishes are not only the first vegetable to be harvested at the beginning of spring, but also an almost indispensable source of vitamins.
At Easter, in addition to ham and eggs, many people like to eat small red radishes for breakfast. This early vegetable is an important source of vitamins at the end of winter and early spring.
Color and shape of spring radishes
The radish root is the thickened, semi-underground part of the stem. Its color is usually a solid rose-red or a shade of it. The two-color version, red on top and white on the bottom, is also very attractive and popular. Its shape can be a regular sphere or a flattened-elongated shape, as well as a shorter or longer cylinder. The leaves of radishes are lobed and have a slightly rough texture, but the young, tender leaves can also be used as a salad. The root size of spring radishes is small compared to summer and winter varieties, their average weight is 15-40 grams, and their diameter is 2-10 cm.
Radishes can be eaten on their own or as a salad
Radishes are one of the few vegetables traditionally eaten raw. It is an easy-to-use vegetable, it only needs to be washed, it can be eaten on its own, or for example with buttered bread, salad or cheese.
Mild greenhouse radishes vs spicy outdoor-grown radishes
Radish grown in the open field has a spicy, peppery taste and contains a higher proportion of essential oil and vitamin C. Radish has many healing effects: its essential oil is an antibiotic, and its expectorant effect is a cure for coughs, hoarseness and colds, as well as respiratory diseases. Due to its metabolism-enhancing effect, it has the role of improving appetite and regulating digestion, and the use of radish juice is also recommended for bile disorders.
Slice the radish and season with salt
The taste of spring radishes is best felt when cut into very thin slices. An interesting eating habit among the French is that radishes are eaten very young, almost white, as an appetizer and served with butter.
