Radish Terrine
This week, the Black Cat Farm booth at the Boulder Farmers’ Market contained some beautiful baby daikon, long, slender, and bright red. Eric quickly dashed off this radish terrine recipe to a customer when discussing the baby daikon. If you don’t have baby daikon, you can substitute radishes.
The terrine consists of radishes and compound butter. It is much like the French classic of radishes with bread and butter but a little fancier.
You can flavor the butter with whatever appeals to you.
Ingredients
Two sticks of butter, softened
A handful of minced fresh herbs, truffle oil, or mustard
One bunch of radishes or baby daikon
1. Wash the radishes and cut off the ends.
2. Slice the radishes very thinly, preferably with a mandoline.
3. Place them in a bowl, generously salt, and let stand for 20 minutes.
4. While the radishes are sweating, place the softened butter in a bowl.
5. Add the minced herbs, a few drops of truffle oil, or a tablespoon of mustard and mix thoroughly.
6. Taste the compound butter. Adjust the flavoring, if needed.
7. After 20 minutes, place the radishes slices in a colander and rinse thoroughly.
8. Let them drain and place the radish slices on several layers of paper towels.
9. Thoroughly dry them.
Warning: If the radishes are wet, the terrine will not hold together.
10. Add the dry radish slices to the compound butter and mix well.
11. Line a terrine mold (can be any container) with plastic wrap.
12. Pack the terrine radish compound butter mixture into the container.
13. Pat the surface of the terrine so that it is smooth and level.
14. Place the container in the refrigerator.
15. After ten minutes, you can lift the hardened terrine out of the container and it is ready to serve. (If you don’t want to serve the terrine immediately, you can leave it in the refrigerator until you are ready.)
16. To serve, cut off thin slices of the terrine and spread on toasted bread.
You can add apple slices and mustard to the spread. Serve a salad of tender spring greens to lighten up your repast.
