Loss of hope is no less than gutting. There was nothing really left for yesterday but to cook and eat as much as possible and wallow in the crushing disappointment. I decided to roast some radishes for the first time and so a broth built up around that decision and a need for comfort. It was a revelation. I wondered why I hadn't thought to do it before. It completely changed the taste of the radish; the peppery sharpness becoming muted giving way to a richer, sweeter 'rooty' flavour. I think even those who are not a fan of radishes would be pleasantly surprised.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 litres of vegetable or chicken stock; a few days before I had boiled up all the vegetables that had seen better days with skins and depressed looking herbs and stems, garlic and onion. I felt like giving it a more eastern flavour so added a few star anise, whole chilli, a cinnamon stick, a few cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf and salt. Let it boil for at least a few hours before straining it.
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
A thumb sized piece of ginger cut into thin slices
1 pointed cabbage (or any spring greens)
250g of radishes
4 small carrots
2 eggs
Chives chopped
10 mint leaves thinly sliced
Sesame oil
Pickled ginger
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Tsp chilli flakes
Preheat oven, fan on maximum heat.
Put the stock in a big pot, add enough water for your pot to be 2/3 full and bring to a simmer. Add 2 tbsp of soy and 2 tbsp of mirin, the slices of ginger and let it continue to simmer. Taste it and add more salt if needed, soy or mirin. It shoudn't be too rich, just a nice light broth.
Cut the radishes in half and place on a baking tray with the carrots. Add 1 tbsp of soy and 1 tbsp of sesame oil and roast in the oven (leaving it on maximum temperature) for 15 minutes. You will end up with caramelised radish and carrot but with the vegetables retaining some bite.
Whilst they are roasting, dry toast the sesame seeds in a pan, slice the cabbage thinly and boil your eggs depending on your preference. Slightly soft but not runny is mine. Bring the eggs to the boil from cold water and simmer for 3/4 minutes depending on the size of your egg and the initial temperature. Rinse in cold water immediately to stop the cooking process (also make them easier to peel). Peel them carefully and cut in half.
5 minutes before the vegetables are ready, drop the cabbage in to the broth. To serve, place the broth and some cabbage in to a bowl with half a boiled egg, some of the radishes and a carrot. Add pickled ginger, sesame seeds, chilli flakes, chives and mint and drizzle with a little sesame oil.
Labels: cabbage, roasted radish
