Look what I grew!  Radishes are so much fun to pull out of the dirt.  Beautiful bright red and fuchsia bulbs just pop right out of the brown garden soil.  The only question after planting the seeds (fun!) and pulling the radishes (also fun!) was what to do with them???  I’m not a radish lover, but I really want to eat what I grow.

I’ve tried two radish salads this spring, and I really like this one.  It’s very simple to prepare.  It’s a nice balance of fresh and zippy with the comforting heft of the beans.  Perfect for spring.

Radish and White Bean Salad

1 can cannellini beans – rinsed well and drained

1 lemon

parsley – about 1/2 a bunch, or to taste, chopped fine

radishes – sliced very thin

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Slice the radishes very thin.  I use a mandoline so it’s very easy and quick.  Zest the lemon over the radishes ( you can omit this if you can’t find an organic lemon).  Add the lemon juice from your lemon.  Chop the parsley and add it to the bowl.  Drain the beans well and mix everything together.  Add freshly ground pepper to taste and a good amount of olive oil – like 1/4 cup.  If you’re not serving the salad right away, don’t add the salt yet.  Salt will draw the liquid out of the vegetables and make your salad a little soupier.  Just wait and salt it right before serving.  I use a coarse sea salt.

You could also add celery sliced on an angle to this salad.