Black Radish salad

with walnuts

black radish salad with walnuts

Never before have so few extremely mundane ingredients produced something so utterly wonderful. And the entire thing can be made in ten minutes flat.

This is truly Old World peasant food at its best. Grandma made it often. My mother was a big fan, and I loved it from the time I was a small child—not the sort of thing you would expect a child to like.

Black Radish. Oil. Salt.

That’s it. The oil was Wesson brand vegetable oil. The salt was, of course, kosher salt.

Back in those days, polyunsaturated vegetable oils were considered the “healthy choice.” Olive oil was beyond our consciousness.

Now of course, we know how terrible those oils are. Fruit and nut oils are the only way to go. When looking for a neutral, flavorless oil, I most often reach for avocado or sunflower or rice bran oil.

But one day, I had a minor brainstorm when making this. I used walnut oil and added some toasted chopped walnuts to the mix. This took the dish to a whole new level. I’m sure that Grandma would have enthusiastically approved.

This is one of those recipes for which no substitutions can be made.

If you can’t find a black radish, don’t make it.

And any time you happen to spot one when you’re shopping, grab it and make this salad. That’s what I do.

Grandma generally served it as a first course at dinner, or as one of several salads for lunch.

A scoop of Black Radish Salad also works nicely as a garnish with gefilte fish. As is often the case with these Old Country recipes, there are no measurements.

BlaCK RADISH SALAD

Ingredients:

  • a large black radish, the black outer peel removed with a vegetable peeler

  • walnut oil as needed

  • a handful of walnuts

  • kosher salt

Method:

  • In a dry skillet over medium heat, toss the walnuts until they begin to color and give off a toasty aroma. This will only take a minute or two. Then remove them from the pan and coarsely chop them.

  • Using a box grater or a food processor, grate the radish.

  • Drizzle a little walnut oil over the shreds and work it in with your fingers. It should be pleasantly oil, but not swimming or greasy.

  • Sprinkle liberally with salt and work that in with your fingers, as well. It should be pleasantly salty.

  • Toss in the walnuts.

  • Let the Black Radish Salad stand in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, and up to several hours, before serving. It will stay for a few days but is best the day it’s made.