What's Cooking?

Guess what the main ingredient is for today's post?

I'll give you a hint:  the last couple of weeks I have posted about Radish Relish and Brasied Radishes.

Any guesses?

If you said radishes you are correct!  
If you said artichokes, then sadly, you have not been paying attention.

More radishes. 

It is at this point that I feel compelled to give you the nutritional value of radishes. 

Here goes:

Radishes are an excellent source of Vitamin C, antioxidants, sulpher, iron, iodine, folate, magnesium, and potassium.  They also aid in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure as well as support liver and digestive function. Radishes are known cancer fighters.  Because of their anti-inflammatory properties, they are also very good for asthma sufferers.  The leaves are full of calcium. 

Now that we have that out of the way, let's get on with what is actually cooking around here.

This time, I took the radishes and pickled them.  
They made the brine turn a glorious magenta (again, more magenta food needed) and were so crisp and tart. 

My friends are my taste testers and I was told by one of them that although they smell bad they taste great.  
Ummm...thanks?

Radish Pickles

Radishes

White Vinegar (1c per pint of pickles)

Salt (2T per pint of pickles.  Pickling salt is recommended but as I wasn't canning these, I used sea salt.)

Bay Leaves (1 per jar)

Dried Chiles (1 per jar.  I used chile flakes so 1/4tsp. per pint of pickles.)

Dill Heads (1 per jar. I used dried dill so 1 tsp. per pint of pickles.)

Peppercorns (about 10 per pint of pickles)

Garlic Cloves (1 per jar.  I used minced garlic so about 1/2 tsp. per pint of pickles.)

Wash, top, and tail your radishes. 
If they are not small, cut into reasonably sized chunks and pack tightly into jars. 
Combine everything else in a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil. 
Cover the radishes with the vinegar mixture leaving 1/4 - 1/2" headspace. 
You can waterbath them for 10 minutes or stick 'em in the fridge. 
Let them cure for a few days before trying them.

I always make more brine than necessary - mainly because there is always something around here that needs pickling. 

Remember before I mentioned that I had an abundance of radishes and onions? 
Well here is what happened to the leftover brine and onions.

 Mmmmm....pickled onions are so good as an accompaniment to your meal or in salads.

This is part of Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Life As Mom's URS.
Don't forget to leave a comment here for a chance to win a CD from the new band He Is We.