What do you do with freshly harvested spring radishes? I typically just eat them raw with cream cheese or hummus or occasionally add them to a salad. This year, though, I was introduced to a tasty new way to prepare spring radishes: seasoned refrigerator radish pickles!
The recipe used as a template in making the video above is customizable. Rather than using dill, we added parsley. Rather than adding garlic cloves, we used fresh chives. We added the mustard seeds and red pepper flakes recommended in the recipe, then supplemented those spices with whole, black peppercorns and celery seed. Fennel seed could be another nice addition.
For the brine, we chose to use apple cider vinegar for added flavor. While apple cider vinegar has many purported health benefits, none are supported by good evidence. Registered Dietitians from the OSU Wexner Medical Center and the Cleveland Clinic caution that while apple cider vinegar is safe to use in small amounts, it is not intended for the treatment or management of medical conditions, and it is definitely not a cure-all.
Apple cider vinegar has a long history of being used to flavor and preserve foods, however, and it is ”appreciated as a culinary agent”. We chose to use this flavorful vinegar in making the brine for our refrigerator radish pickles.
After adding brine to prepared vegetables for refrigerator pickles, refrigerate them for at least 4 hours to allow flavor to develop; 24-48 hours is even better. Cooperative Extension resources recommend consuming refrigerator pickles within 2 weeks.
Quick pickled vegetables like radishes are great topping additions to salads, bowls, soups, and tacos, and are even a great simple snack. Will you give them a try today? If so, please leave a comment below sharing your favorite recipe and use for refrigerator pickles.
Sources:
Cleveland Clinic (2021). Exploring the health benefits of apple cider vinegar. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/exploring-the-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar/
Hoover, A. (2020). Apple cider vinegar myths and facts. West Virginia University Extension Service. https://extension.wvu.edu/food-health/cooking/apple-cider-vinegar-myths-facts
Todini, K. (2020). Quick Dill Pickled Radishes. Fork in the Road. https://www.forkintheroad.co/dill-pickled-radishes/
Treiber, L. (2015). Refrigerated pickled spring vegetables. Michigan State University Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/refrigerated_pickled_spring_vegetables
Weber, M. (2019). Does vinegar have health benefits? The OSU Wexner Medical Center. https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/does-vinegar-have-health-benefits
Written by: Jenny Lobb, MPH, RDN, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Franklin County
Reviewed by: Alisha Barton, Family and Consumer Science Educator, Ohio State University Extension Miami County
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