Friends Drift Inn Farm – Food Preservation Recipes

Radish Herbed Salt Recipe

I hate to waste food. I am an avid composter; but even I am dismayed as I prepare vegetables just how much seems to go on the heap.

This weekend, I had the rare privilege of spending a few minutes with rock star chefs Bryan and Michael Voltaggio of Top Chef fame. They have a new book coming out, VOLT ink.: Recipes, Stories, Brothers which is a cooking tome like no other. Kentucky got a few sneak copies when the Voltaggio Brothers appearance at the Kentucky Proud Incredible Food Show. But that’s not what this post is about.

Food Preservation is not just a seasonal thing – something done just during the growing season. Figuring out how to use up as much of the produce as you buy or grow is something we need to be thinking about every day.

Black Spanish Radish Herb Salt

At the Lexington Farmers Market this weekend, there was an abundance of Black Spanish Radishes. They are a fall crop, larger than the “usual” radishes about the size of tennis ball. They can be roasted. They can be cooked and pureed. They can be done in quick pickle brine or eaten fresh with a combination of other radishes in a lovely root salad.

But what about the tops? The Voltaggio Brothers had me thinking about food preservation on an everyday basis.

Black Spanish Radish tops are much milder than the root, flavored similar to broccoli. I supposed you could use them in salads, but I travelled three hours in the car to get them home….and frankly the tops were much wilted. We will start growing these at the farm!

But the Voltaggio Brothers words were still fresh under my hat. “Use it all.”

On stage, the brothers showed how they “charred” various greens that might otherwise be discarded. I tried the method with Black Spanish Radish tops, adding some kosher salt for an interesting twist on herbed salt. The char process gave the greens a touch of nuttiness – just right to sprinkle over soups or sides adding flavors and visual temptations.

Food Preservation is an everyday process. It is rethinking how you work in the kitchen. It is about opening the spigot and letting the creativity flow.

Radish Herbed Salt

Inspired by the Voltaggio Brothers

Flavored Salt Recipe, Herb Salt Recipe

Ingredients

tops of Black Spanish radishes (You could try beets or carrot tops)
2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
sparing drizzle of Olive Oil
More salt for final product

Method

1. Preheat oven to 500°.

2. Wash tops, patting dry.

3. On a parchment lined baking tray, place the radish top greens.

4. Sprinkle on salt and just the a little olive oil.

5. Turn on the exhaust fans. I threw open the windows because my fire alarm is sensitive…but really they did not smoke enough to be “alarmed.” Giggles

6. My oven has a mind of it’s own, but I had the greens in the oven about 15 minutes. I kept a sharp eye on the process, not wanting to over char. Over char…is that a word?

7. I removed the greens as they just barely began to smoke. The leaves were crispy, the stems still a little moist.

8. I discarded the stems, crumbled the leaves and added half as much volume of salt to the charred herbs.

Notes and obsevations:
Will store for up to six months in a covered mason jar. I hope you will use it up quick and make more! Try on salads and sides, perhaps even in salad dressings. I am thinking maybe even on roasted pumpkins or cushaws – will get back to you on that!