I’ll be honest—I used to hate radishes. I never cared for them as a kid and have pretty much avoided them for most of my life. Until now. Last year, I tried roasting them—it takes the bite out of them, which was just enough to prime my taste buds. This year, I’ve been gradually adding the milder ones to my salads, very thinly sliced, just one radish at a time, and guess what? I’ve learned to like them! It gives me one more ingredient to play with.
What I like about this salad is that many of the flavors bring balance—the sweetness of the berries plays nicely with the peppery bite of the radishes, and of course, some of the radishes are more peppery than others. The cucumber also cools, and the avocado contributes a smoothness against the crunch. If you can find rattail radishes or radish pods, they also add a mellow crunch.
I’ve paired the salad with a buttermilk dressing that I added to my book, Simply Herbaceous—it’s bright and tangy and works very well here. It’s also very easy to whisk together.
You can make this in a bowl or on individual plates. For salads, I find it easier to give the ingredients per person; then, you can adjust as necessary. It’s just a guideline, of course.
What you want to know is that this salad does not store well—the cucumbers and strawberries will release water over time, and by the next day, you will have a not-too-appetizing soggy mess. So try to make just what you need.
Using a mandoline to slice the radishes and cucumbers will save you time and give you beautiful little even slices. I found rattail radishes and flowers at my local farmers’ market—they make a nice addition to the salad, though you may or may not be able to find them. They will not make or break it if you can’t. Meanwhile, I just bought some seeds. It’s time for me to start growing them for myself!
Strawberry-Radish Salad
For the Buttermilk Dressing with Herbs
I tend to make the dressing first, so it’s ready when the salad is. This can also be easily halved, though leftovers will be good for at least a week and good on many other salads.
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp celery salt
- 2 tsp fresh chives, minced
- 2 tsp fresh dill, minced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Dash or three of hot sauce
For Each Person You’re Serving
Ingredients
- 2-3 Radishes, any kind or color
- ½ cup sliced strawberries
- ¼ cup cucumber slices
- A few slices of red onion
- ¼ avocado, sliced
- A small handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
- Radish pods or rattail radishes (optional)
- Radish flowers for garnish (optional)
Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl, adding a little bit of dressing to coat. Serve in the bowl with more dressing on the side or arrange on individual plates. You can line the plates with lettuce leaves if you wish.
