Radish Couscous

My grandfather loved radishes. He would eat them whole, straight from the ground with a sprinkle of salt. Nothing fancy, just crunch and spice. I think he must have eaten them everyday. Right now the farmer’s market is overflowing with gorgeous radishes. Purple, red and white, massive in size. They aren’t the watery tasteless versions you buy from the supermarket, uniform and pale red. These are the real thing. They crunch and burn and taste like the earth. They taste like the very first radish. The alpha radish. Gourmand and I eat them whole and untouched, but they are an incredible addition to many foods. In this case we made a basic couscous and punched it up by adding handfuls of minced radish creating a refreshing, traditional salad with a delicious twist. It’s a recipe suggestion from my sister that turned out beautifully.

Radish Couscous (serves 6-8)

2 cups radishes
2 cups couscous
1 large handful mixed herbs (basil, mint, parsley)
3 scallions, diced
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Crush the garlic and add it to the oil along with the grated lemon zest. Let the oil infuse while you prepare the additional ingredients. Make the couscous (2 parts water, 2 parts couscous, bring to boil, remove from heat and let sit 5 mintues. Fluff with a fork). Mince the radishes, herbs and scallions, and toss with the garlic-lemon oil, adding the lemon juice as you mix in the ingredients. Combine the dressing with the couscous, mixing until well blended and season to taste with salt and pepper. It’s best if you let it stand before serving to let the flavors combine and strenghten.