The collector's garden: Discover radishes

The collector's garden

April 03, 2011

I started to grow radishes a couple of years ago, but instead of growing always the same -although delicious- red and round radishes, I tried new varieties because I was curious and wanted to try always something different... and this is the spirit of the collector's garden posts.
During the last years I growed radishes of different shapes, colours and taste, and I enjoyed them all.

Burro

The Burro radish is a classic round radish, red outside and white inside, crisp yet smooth and slightly pungent.

The Watermelon radish is amazing: the outside is greenish pink, but as the name implies, inside it has the colors of a ripe watermelon, with a white circle and a brilliant pink pulp. Crunchy and very tasty, highly recommended.

French Breakfast radish is red and has an elongated shape, with a white, round tip. It's very sweet and is also one of the earliest varieties of radish, ready to be harvested in about 40 days after sowing.

Pink Celebration has a rounded shape, deep pink on the outside and bright white inside. Very early and sweeter than other cultivars, it is suitable for fresh consumption but also to be cooked roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
Its leaves are tender and highly recommended for consumption boiled or sautéed.

Il Malaga Violet has a rounded shape, dark purple on the outside and bright white inside. It's crunchy and with a slightly pungent taste.

Hailstone is a white radish, sweet, early and productive, perfect to be grown in pots.

The yellow radish Zlata has yellow-brown skin and oval shape that make it look like a small potato. This Polish variety is moderately pungent and very early.

This is the Summer White radish, white outside and inside, with the size and shape of a medium carrot and very pungent.

Candle of fire (Candela Di Fuoco) radish has an elongated, pointed shape, 10-15 cm long and has red skin and pink pulp.

Purple Plum radish is small and round, purple outside and white inside, with a pungent taste.

Winter radish (Raphanus niger) is usually sown in autumn and harvested during winter. It's round, with rough black skin and white flesh. Crisp and moderately pungent, perfect for salads.

Radishes are eaten raw, usually added to salads or or other vegetables to dip.
They can be sliced and used to garnish starters and other cold dishes like this hard-boiled egg, stuffed with chicken, anchovy fillets, capers and yolk.

Radish leaves can be addet to omelettes and soups.

More ideas: Radishes recipes

I always try different radish varieties and I after the harvests I update this post with new reviews.

The collector's garden

There are many variations of well known plants: new colors, different aromas, specific forms... why grow always the usual crops?

The collector's garden: Gotta catch em all!