Radis Au Beurre
If you find yourself in Paris and really want to do as the Parisians do, then you need to go to one of the markets. My personal favorite is the Marché Bastille (sometimes referred to as the Marché Richard Lenoir) in the 11eme arrondissement.
The Marché Bastille sets up on Thursday and Sundays and is filled with mostly produce vendors, though you can certainly find cheese vendors, meat vendors, fish mongers, and crêpe makers as well.
Going to the market is absolutely one of the things I miss most about living in France. In early spring the stalls are teeming with rows of white tipped radishes.
The French know exactly what to do with those pink little jewels, and it has nothing to do with salad.
Let me introduce you to the easiest appetizer ever. Radish. Sea Salt. Butter. Radis au beurre as the French would say.
Seriously, that’s it. It’s dishes like this that make you think, no wonder les Français make things look so effortless – sometimes they truly are effortless.
If you have the patience to plant your own, it’s worth experimenting with different types of radishes here. With a dish so simple, you’ll really be able to taste the differences.
French breakfast radishes are the type you want to look out for if you’re searching for the long, slender, white tipped, French market variety type. They’re less spicy than the red, globed radishes you would find in a US grocery store.
To serve just trim the tail off the end of the radishes and either remove the stem completely or trim it down so that you have a dipping mechanism.
Allow good butter to come to room temperature and pile into a small serving dish. Pair with another small serving dish of sea salt, and voilà! You’ve got an elegant canapé that took mere minutes to throw together.
To eat just swoosh a radish through some butter and dust with sea salt flakes.
Radis Au Beurre – Garden Radishes with Sea Salt & Butter*
- 2 bunches radishes
- French breakfast if you can find them, or grow them, otherwise any radish will do!
- 4 tbsp good quality butter, room temperature
- 2 tsp sea salt flakes
*this really doesn’t need exact measurements, but if you want a rough guideline of ratios, the above should help!
Add baguettes, cheese, and jam and pretend like you are picnicking in front of the Eiffel Tower.
Bon Appétit!
- 2 bunches radishes, preferably French Breakfast radishes
- 4 tbsp good quality butter, room temperature
- 2 tsp sea salt flakes
- Rinse radishes and slice off the stringy end of the root
- Cut the leaves and stem down to ½ inch above the radish root
- Arrange on platter and allow guests to individually dip radishes in butter and sprinkle with sea salt
I love that you’ve included this in your recipes because it’s one of things I love and remember most about my time in France. Radis au beurre were often served as an aperitif on Sundays with my host family, and I have nothing but the fondest memories of those 6-hour-long repas. I’ve already bookmarked your blog and can’t wait to get into some of your other recipes!
This makes me incredibly happy! I also have very fond memories eating radis au beurre, and while it’s not much of a recipe it was too important not to include. Thanks for following along, hope all is well!