What fearsome quest leads me to post so often this week?  What dreadful force is driving me?  Today, it’s really Greg’s quest that is driving me.  His quest to find out why certain radishes are called French Breakfast Radishes.

We did not think French people eat salads for breakfast.  We did not even think French people eat radish sandwiches for breakfast.  And frankly, we still don’t factually know if French people eat radishes for breakfast at all.

But we would certainly make this recipe for breakfast.  Or any other meal of the day.  Maybe even twice.  Partly because of our growing obsession with radishes, period (thanks, Grandma Beulah, for having me taste a radish sandwich that one time – now I cannot get enough radishes and Greg names radishes as his “all-star vegetable of the year”).

The best thing about this dish, though, is that it is like nothing else on earth and like no other radish thing I’ve ever tried.  It lacks the bite of raw radish, but still has all the freshness. The flavor is almost creamy,  rich because of the butter, but still tangy because of radishes inherent properties and the vinegar.

Stop the panegyric, right, and give you the recipe?  OK.  If you insist.  *Heart*

Butter Poached Radishes

1 bunch French breakfast radishes (about 3/4 lb.), greens and bottoms discarded
3 tbs. unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
3 dashes vinegar (red wine vinegar recommended – Greg used balsamic, though, and it was fab)
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1 tsp. fresh tarragon (we were out, so we used some dried basil)

Depending on size, halve or quarter radishes lengthwise. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet until melted. Toss in the chopped radishes and season with salt and pepper. Sauté over low-medium heat until they become translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the vinegar and sauté approximately another minute until the radishes turn a vibrant pink. Add the vegetable stock and the remaining tablespoon of butter and cook for another minute to glaze the radishes.

Remove from heat and tear fresh tarragon leaves directly onto the radishes.

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