Sunday Feast № 19 | Radish Salad with Mint and Pumpkin Seeds

Fun on the side and after Drink Pinot Gris Movies Saint Laurent (2014) vs. Yves Saint Laurent (2014)

In the Midwest, the season for radishes starts in March, provided the weather abides. It should by May. So here I was with a bunch of radishes, and a box of raw pumpkin seeds. The latter happened to stare at me from the nuts and seed shelf at the local and jumped into my basket. A happenstance that eventually worked out as I was looking what else to do with the radishes. My usual with radishes is very simple and satisfying - slices of good or toasted bread, smeared with butter, layered with radish slices, and sprinkled with a pinch of salt - but I wanted to try something different. Recently, I had a seasonal platter that included finely sliced, shaved really, radishes with mint and dressing. Radishes and mint? Hmm. Different, and the inspiration I needed. By now, just as the Thai basil did, my hydroponic mint was in bloom and begging to be messed with in other ways than tea or mojito. And nuts or seeds are good! I have seeds!    The recipe I found called for radish wedges, which is fine, but I slice for a mellower bite, and pistachios, which is fine, but I have green pumpkin seeds. Great lunch salad with a slice of good bread (could not stray too far from my usual), sharp-ish personable cheese such a Saint Malachi (cow milk cheese from Unionville, PA) beckoning from my fridge, and a bottle of Pinot Gris to match the crisp radishes peeking through the smoothness of olive oil and the freshness of mint.    Why Saint Laurent vs. Yves Saint Laurent? By this point my brain was somehow remembering something about clean whole radishes dipped in salt as a French snack. Since I did not have a movie about the quintessential French fashion designer Coco Chanel, ladies who lunch had to do with chronologically next best thing - Yves Saint Laurent. That I had, together with enough wine to see us through almost four and half hours of indulgent viewing. This did not have to make sense, but that is what long Sunday lunches can be.

1 bunch of radishes (~ 1 lb/0.5 kg) sliced Zest of 1 lemon 1 shallot minced Juice from 1 lemon ½ tsp kosher salt ¼ cup raw pumpkin kernel seeds ¼ cup mint leaves thinly sliced when large 1 tbsp olive oil	Mix radish slices, minced shallot, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl and let sit for 30 min. Toast pumpkin seeds n high heat till you hear a few pop and most brown very lightly. Remove from the heat and let them cool. When ready to serve, squeeze excess liquid from the radish mix, then toss with toasted pumpkin seeds, mint, and olive oil.
Adapted from Simply Recipes. Serves 4.