BRAISED RED RADISHES

adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

• bunch purple or red radishes
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 stalk green garlic, (or garlic chives or garlic) cleaned as you would a leek and chopped, use all the light green part
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• S & P to taste

Trim the leaves from the radishes (save for Radish Top Soup, see recipe this page), leaving a bit of the green stems, and scrub them. Wash the leaves and set aside. Leave smaller radishes whole and halve the larger ones. Melt 2 to 3 teaspoons of the butter in a small saute pan. Add the shallot and thyme and cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the radishes, a little salt and pepper, and water just to cover. Simmer until the radishes are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the leaves and cook until they're wilted and tender, 1 minute more. Remove the radishes to a serving dish. Boil the liquid, adding a teaspoon or two more butter if you like, until only about 1/4 cup remains. pour it over the radishes and serve.