10-day-old sprouting daikon radishes
You can grow your own sprouting daikon radish microgreens on a table top at home. They are ready to harvest in less than two week, and are an exceptionally versatile ingredient, useful in everything from salads, sandwiches and wraps to sauces, or as an alternative to basil and parsley in these recipes.
Sprouting Daikon Radish Pesto
Sprouting Daikon Radish Chimichurri
Pumpkin Seed-Sprouting Daikon Radish Mole
1/2 packed cup fresh parsley
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon chopped oregano (optional)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
salt to taste
1. Puree all ingredients in food processor or blender. Add extra water one tablespoon at a time if the chimichurri is too thick.
½ cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, packed (optional)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1. Place ingredients in a food processor, starting with half of the ingredients if the processor bowl is small, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of container. Blend until pesto forms a thick, smooth paste.
Some recipes for green mole sauce call for including a few large leaves of romaine lettuce in the vegetable puree. I’ve only seen one recipe that calls for radish tops: Mesa Mexicana, by Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, who I interviewed about the time that book came out. I’ve made variations of their recipe ever since, never failing to include radish tops. Delicate sprouting daikon microgreens, I have now learned, are an even better bet, imparting the same spring-green, peppery flavor in a much smoother puree.
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cup packed daikon sprouting radishes
1 cup packed cilantro
4-5 tomatillos
1-2 jalapeno peppers
1 cup chicken broth
2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Chicken pieces
1. Toast pumpkin seeds in cast iron skillet, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, then add cumin seeds and continue to toast while stirring for another minute. Grind pumpkin seeds and cumin in a spice grinder or food processor
2. Chop and puree vegetables in a food processor.
3. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and saute in a bit of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot, stirring for several minutes. Add cut up chicken pieces and continue sautéing, stirring, and occasionally scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula for another 6-8 minutes until chicken is browned on all sides.
4. Stir in chicken broth, then green puree, then ground seeds. Blend well, and simmer on low, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes.
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