A LONG time ago, I remember helping plant a little garden with a group of friends and our mothers. We were all in elementary school and had short attention spans, so of course that meant RADISHES were planted in abundance. Soon we were all sent home with loads of radishes and well, I am not sure anyone really knew what to do with them. I wish I could send this simple recipe back in time. Other than a salad recipe from the South Beach Diet, this is the only other way I can think of to transform the simple (but often abundant) garden radish into "real food". Did you receive a single bunch of radishes in a co-op box? Half the recipe and you'll still have a delicious (but quickly disappearing) treat. These radishes become something incredibly savory, yet juicy and refreshing all at the same time. Can't wait to make them again as a side item for steak or roast chicken! These roasted radishes are a low-carb but still satisfying side dish that could easily take the place of a starchy potato. I just ate a double serving of them and am already craving them again -- they're savory, a little sweet, crispy, juicy, all these wonderful things at once. AND their super low glycemic load is great news for many people looking for lower carb, lower cost delicious surprises. Or if you're an impatient gardener, go plant a couple rows of these and mark your calendar.
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Scrub the radishes, being sure to trim the root and stem, half the smaller radishes, and quarter the larger ones.
Toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
Place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet (or on top of a piece of baking parchment you've placed on that cookie sheet) in a single layer.
Roast for 15-20 minutes, being sure to turn them at least once during cooking (at 9 mins maybe). Radishes are ready when brown on some edges, and just fork tender.
I used a bunch of organic multi-colored "Easter egg radishes" which are super fancy, but regular radishes will do just as well, and you may not need to quarter them if they're small.