So my guess is that we’ve all experienced pickled veggies of some sort, whether from a food truck putting out stellar street food or topped on an entree at an upscale restaurant. I heart pickled ANYTHING. Zingy is just simply the perfect compliment to so many dishes.

So when I had a fridge full of fresh, gorgeous radishes they were screaming ‘pickle me please!’  And I have eaten an entire jar in one day.

This recipe is as easy as it gets. Slice up your radishes, throw them into a jar with a couple of pantry staples, boil a bit of vinegar and pour it on in. And there’s your Spicy Pickled Radishes. Why do I not do this more often?

A radish has a bit of spice to begin with, which I love. But when you throw them into the mix with a borderline obscene amount of garlic and a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes the spice becomes absolutely perfect. They’ve got a bite to them that is so addicting!

Add them to a green salad. Top your fajitas or tacos with them. Burgers. Brats. A big old bowl of cottage cheese. The list could go on. Or, just eat them with a fork right out of the jar…totally acceptable. And if nothing else…even if you hate radishes….even if the idea of this recipe totally weirds you out..make them because they are simply a darn pretty thing to open your fridge and see. They are stunning!

Spicy Pickled Radishes

notes: the longer these sit in the fridge the better they taste in my opinion. day 3-4 is pretty stellar because you still have the crisp radish but the flavor has developed perfectly. I find that giving the jar a gentle shake daily keeps the flavors melding well. 

Ingredients

2 Cups Sliced Radishes, trimmed

8 Garlic Cloves, sliced in half

2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup or Honey (add more to taste)

1 Teaspoon Course Ground Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1 1/2 Cups White Wine Vinegar

Directions

Add radishes, garlic, maple syrup or honey, pepper, salt and red pepper flakes to a large mason jar or divide them among smaller jars. Bring vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, pour over radishes. Let cool to room temperature and then cover tightly with a lid and refrigerate. Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Adapted from Bon Apetit | July 2011