every now and then a feller needs a radish

my mother, maryetta, relishes radishes. she tells me she actually yearns for them, and i quote her with the title of this post.

last november when i was planning the thanksgiving menu i was looking for something colorful and unusual for the salad course & found this recipe from jill santopietro of the ny times. it has everything i wanted in a salad: spice, heat, tang, color, unusual ingredients, and the capers cinched it for inclusion on my menu–who can deny the elegance of a pickled flower bud?

since that dinner in late november, i have made this salad for several dinner parties. my foodie-friends, deborah and evie, have both raved about it, and their opinions are the reason i hand wrote it onto a recipe card to add to my recipe box.

one note: i served it with goat cheese instead of parmesan to cut down on the saltiness.

radish-celery salad

Serves 4

1	shallot, finely chopped
1/4	teaspoon whole grain mustard
1 1/2	tablespoons Champagne vinegar
	salt and black pepper, to taste
1	bunch radishes, very finely sliced
4	inner stalks celery, very finely sliced
1/4	cup sliced celery leaves
6	large parsley leaves, thinly sliced
1	tablespoon capers
3	tablespoons olive oil
1	small wedge parmesan cheese, cut into thin slices

1. in a small bowl combine the shallot, mustard, vinegar, and a pinch each of salt and pepper; set aside for 10 minutes.

2. meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the radishes, celery, celery leaves, parsley leaves, and capers.

3. whisk the olive oil into the vinegar mixture. pour the dressing over the radish mixture and toss to combine. taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. transfer to a large plate and top with the parmesan slices.