Darlings! La Diva had a lovely day yesterday demonstrating (for the first time!) at the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden. I was asked to participate in the Food and Garden Festival and to demonstrate a vegetable or fruit that you would pick from a southern Florida garden.
La Diva decided to highlight the lowly radish! Now, as you know from previous posts, La Diva LOATHES radishes. (and I wasn't too crazy about beets or turnips either!) After getting so many in my CSA box last season, I resigned myself to the fact that I better find other ways to enjoy them besides in salads. The French enjoy radishes with sea salt, butter and a crusty baguette. But Diva DON'T need to be eating one more thing with butter so decided to come up with another, lower fat option for radishes!
After traipsing about on the Internet for inspiration, I decided to slice them finely and saute them in olive oil and then flambe with white vermouth! But that's not all, my demo was about how to use the whole vegetable, so radish tops were sauteed as well and then combined with sweet apple chicken sausage and bow tie pasta! The sweet sausage (and vermouth!) really help cut the bitterness out of the radishes. The dish was DIVINE, darlings, and the crowd enjoyed this new take on an old salad standby!
As you probably guessed, La Diva doesn't loathe the radish no mo'! (And DJ Nevah L8 even asks for seconds!)
For more photos and the recipe, go HERE!
Ciao for now!
A SPECIAL DIVA THANK YOU TO:
Fairchild Tropical Gardens staff and volunteers, especially Melissa Contreras and Natalie White from Whole Foods Coral Gables.
For Miami cooking classes click HERE!
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For Miami cooking classes click HERE!
I just love seeing photos of you. It reminds me of how much I LOVE YOU!!!
ReplyDeleteI was in the audience and I thought you did a pretty good job of it. You didn't repeat yourself too much and you came up with some good patter to fill time while the sausages were cooking. Personally, I would have put a little more color on both the sausages and the radishes, but that's just personal preference. Folks around me seemed happy enough with the results and surprised to find themselves enjoying radishes.
ReplyDeleteA yummy radish recipe?! Really?? I might just be swayed to give this one a try. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a lovely time out there. xoxo
I think the Mrs is growing radishes in the community garden again this year. I will have to remember this recipe come July.
ReplyDeleteAnd watch out for the woman standing behind you - she looks pissed.
I actually adore radishes, so will most definitely make this dish. And as someone who now has had the honor of eating your cooking, I know I can count on it being delicious. BTW, I needs me that fig compote recipe, dahlink. I'm thinking of trying it out as a tart, too. Wonder if a marscapone custard will curdle too much, though?
ReplyDeleteLook at you!! all this AND recipes, how fabulous is that?
ReplyDeleteI've never been a fan of radishes, I thought they only for potato salad?
Aww Thom! I loves you too and wish we were closer. The powers that be, obviously think that's not a good idea though! haha!
ReplyDeleteThanks Bill, I'm surprised you didn't come up and say g'day, I saw you there! Making "patter" is the main reason I didn't let the sausages cook too long, you can only hold people's attention so long. As for the repetitive, as an educator, it's a good thing to repeat things to hammer ideas home. Adults aren't as good as kids at retention! Thanks for coming by!
Thanks, Dani, wish we were a bit closer, you know I'd be dropping by for some eggs!
Haha, Buzz, too funny! That woman was really nice but she's not a fan of living in Miami that's for sure! If I can make a recipe that my husband will not only eat radishes but go for seconds, well, then I'm stickin' with it!
Moi, not sure about the marscapone curdling, just treat it like you would cream cheese and all will be well. Figs and marscapone, hmmmm, where did you come u with THAT combo?! Tee hee! Let me know how it turns out!
Boxer, I don't even like radishes in potato salad! Of course, sauteing something in booze always makes anything bitter better!
Oooh, I am most intrigued by the sauteed radish tops. Must try! Glad your demo turned out so well!
ReplyDeleteSaw your profile on another page. Glad I read your informative and well-written blog. Look forward to following you here. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteBuzz Kill and I both noticed the woman behind you.
ReplyDeleteShe wishes she were as foxy as La Diva.
The woman behind you is definitely bringing the Bad Mojo Vibe but so glad your excellent Diva Spirit banished her Mojo to the parking lot. Having just seen the Top Chef Tour Stop YOURS looks much more interesting food-wise. I love how you took an ingredient that doesn't have a lot of obvious uses and made it something tasty and interesting. Wish I had been there but thanks for bringing the photos and recipe.
ReplyDeleteI still loathe the radish, lol !
ReplyDeleteHow MUCH am I lovin' this!! Thanks for the slideshow, La DIva Dahlin'
ReplyDeleteFun fun fun!!
Hi Eggy, I think you would really like this dish! Sauteed radishes? Who knew?
ReplyDeleteHi Lazaro, welcome! Nice to have a local Miamian foodie come by, hope to see you again!
MJ, you is funny girl! heheh....
Sham! Welcome back my little orca friend! You've been missed. Yes, I chose the "lowly" radish because it IS so under-utilized outside of salads. Wish you could have been here!
Heff, I don't blame you one bit! I bet if Donna made this, you'd give it a shot!
Thanks so much Aunty, you know I always love when you drop by! I hope to offer you a bit of Diva hospitality one day in person!
Cheers to the radish! You look like you were having a blast at your cooking demonstration.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog. I love that you teach a cocktail class. That is so cool.
Come by and check out my blog. My husband has a reputation for his cocktails, you can check out the index. Maybe, there is a good idea in there that would be helpful for you.
I will definitely be back to visit. Thanks for sharing.
Wow, love love love this! Fantastic demo, really creative recipe, and you ARE La Diva Cucina. Incredible - I'm catching up on your other posts and enjoying your whole website too.
ReplyDeleteHaha my word verification is "grita" which is Spanish for shout - so I'm givin you another SHOUT out for general DivaFabulosity and for being such an amazing inspiration.
Hi Velva, thanks so much for stopping by! Yes, I looked at the cocktails your hubby makes, looks divine! I liked the spread for the cocktail party too! Nice to meet new "local" foodie people!
ReplyDeleteHey MS! Welcome back! I will be posting the Earth Day photos shortly, the kids loved it! Thanks so much for your kind comments and support. x
wow! What a crowd! I would have burned my radishes! I don't like them much either. You've inspired me to give them a second chance.
ReplyDeleteDearest LaDiva,
ReplyDeletePlease don't "allow" Troll to hijack the Culinary Challenge.
BamaTrav WON the April Culinary Smackdown, and has the right to DECLARE and JUDGE the next challenge. The only thing rigged about the April challenge was that TROLL DIDN'T EVEN BELONG in the coin-toss. Troll even admitted that he didn't use lobster in his dish - what's legitimate about that ? It's apparent that TrollY2K is only going to play by his own rules.
Your choice here, but please consider BamaTrav the April Culinary Smackdown Champion who will host and judge for mid-May.
Heff, EEK! What a bunch of silliness! I am waiting to hear what BamaTrav picks! Troll always plays by his own rules but I play by mine too and that is to pick and choose what I want to participate in and what I want to make when and if I want to make it. Besides, I'm trying to run a business, not get sucked into nonsense!
ReplyDeleteI'm all about challenging myself in the kitchen, not to compete or win and I like the camaraderie it creates. I DON'T like whining...or complaining or poor sportsmanship. I think Troll is upset cuz his contest kinda got away from him.
I am waiting patiently for the next challenge to be announced.
good idea on the radish - I love radish and have featured them a few of times on my blog - you look happy and cool!
ReplyDeleteBamaTrav will announce the Smackdown info NEXT WEEK.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Doggybloggy, I COULD NOT believe how many people were gobbling that pasta and radish up! Put a big smile on my face!
ReplyDeleteHeff, I look forward to it! Yea-uh, bring it!!