While researching Passover recipes and food traditions, I stumbled across an intriguing recipe for
cinnamon-spiced chard pancakes, which was attributed to
Bon Appétit. The introduction stated that it would work well with virtually any type of green, and I happened to have a bunch of beautiful organic radishes from a local farm, so I decided to give the recipe a try using radish greens.
I made a few minor tweaks to the original recipe, plus the more significant change of not boiling the greens first as I wanted to preserve their "crunch," and thus following recipe was born. Even if you don't celebrate Passover, I think you'll enjoy this unusual and flavorful way to enjoy a nutritious green that too often goes to waste.
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| Radish Greens |
Radish greens are perfectly edible, with a slightly bitter, subtly radish-y "bite," and younger greens will be milder and more tender. Discard any yellowed or browned leaves, and wash the radish tops very well under running water to remove all dirt and grit. A good
colander makes this easy. Strip the leaves off the stems or use a sharp
knife to remove tough stems before using in this recipe, or any other recipe calling for dark greens. You can even add radish greens to salads as a spicy counterpoint to more delicately-flavored lettuces.
I had only 1 bunch of radish greens, which made enough of these little pancakes to serve two as an appetizer or snack. This recipe easily doubles, and simply hold each batch of cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in a warm (250° to 300° F) oven until ready to serve. Enjoy with a few squeezes from lemons, or with apple sauce or even hot pepper relish or a few dashes of your favorite
Kosher hot sauce.
Ingredients
1 bunch radish greens, washed & stems removed (approx. 1/4 lb, or 2 cups chopped)
2 eggs
1/3 cup chopped green onions or spring onions, including green part
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| Chopped Radish Greens |
1/4 cup unsalted matzoh meal (or breadcrumbs, if not for Passover)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground allspice
Ground pepper: several turns from a pepper mill or 1/8 to 1/4 tsp (to taste)
3 Tbs olive oil for frying
Optional accompaniments: Lemon wedges, apple sauce, chutney, hot pepper relish,
hot sauce
Shake off excess water from the radish greens and use a very sharp knife to chop well.
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| Radish green mixture |
Use a whisk or fork to beat the eggs, cinnamon, salt, allspice and pepper together in a bowl, then mix in the onion and matzo meal (or breadcrumbs). Mix in the chopped radish greens and stir to combine thoroughly.
Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Use a tablespoon to drop the radish green mixture by the heaping spoonful and gently press with the back of the spoon to flatten into small pancakes about 1/2" thick. Fry until golden brown on each side and cooked through--you may need to work in batches and/or add a little more oil for frying.
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| Frying the pancakes |
Remove the cooked pancakes to a plate covered with paper towels to absorb excess oil. If frying in batches, transfer to a baking sheet and hold in a warm oven until ready to serve. Serve warm, with lemon wedges (they taste delicious with a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice) or other accompaniments.
Zestfully yours,
Gloria
PS: If you prefer to
buy Kosher products, make sure to browse through our selection of
Kosher condiments, sauces & seasonings.
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