Radishes are amazing little things. We used to slice them and add them to salads but we decided one day to make a feature of them. We have tried quite a few dressings, but this version is the most popular. Cooking the garlic in milk tones it down and the flavour infuses the milk in the dressing. Keeping the radish leaves attached makes this a pretty salad and you can eat them, too.
Radishes lend themselves to a few other interesting ingredients: instead of garlic milk try toasted sesame seeds or infused hazelnut oil (see here).
SERVES 4
6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
200ml whole milk
large bunch of pink radishes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the garlic in a small saucepan with the milk and bring to a very gentle simmer until the garlic is very soft, which should take 5–8 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Wash the radishes but leave the leaves attached. Make sure they are bright coloured and perky and throw away any that aren’t. Pat the radishes and leaves dry with kitchen paper.
With a hand-held blender, blend the garlic and milk until smooth, then season.
Arrange the radishes on a plate, keeping the globe ends together so you can dress them all at once.
Drizzle the garlic milk over the globes, leaving the leaves free and clean.
To eat, pick up by the leaves and eat the radish, dipping it in the garlic milk. Don’t forget to eat the leaves – their flavour will surprise you.
