Pickled watermelon radish: pale green outside, bright pink within

A watermelon radish looks like an ordinary root from the outside, pale green and unassuming, until you slice into it and find that bright pink center. Pickling softens its peppery bite and adds acid brightness, turning a vegetable most people walk past into something you want on the plate.

The color is not just a trick for the eyes. Radishes carry glucosinolates, the same class of sulfur compounds found across the cruciferous family, alongside a modest dose of vitamin C. Slicing them thin and letting them sit in an acidic brine is one of the easiest ways to get a cruciferous vegetable into a meal without cooking it down.

Best found in spring and summer markets. A round glass jar shows the color off well if you want the jar itself to sit on the counter.

A note on the sweetener: the source recipe uses coconut sugar. Honey works just as well here and is the default sweetener in this kitchen; coconut sugar is also elimination-friendly if you would rather use it instead.

Ingredients

• 1 watermelon radish
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp honey

Method

Scrub the radish well and slice it very thin. A mandolin gives you the most even slices, though a sharp knife works.

Pack the slices into a clean glass jar with the bay leaf. In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, salt, and honey. Bring to a simmer, whisking, and cook 3 to 4 minutes until the honey dissolves fully.

Remove from heat and pour the hot brine over the radish, submerging the slices completely. Let it cool uncovered, then lid and refrigerate.

Ready to eat after 45 to 60 minutes. Keeps up to 1 week refrigerated.

How to use it

• Piled onto a bowl or salad for color and crunch
• Tucked into lettuce wraps in place of a tortilla
• Alongside roasted chicken or fish as a bright side

*Adapted from unboundwellness.com by Michelle Hoover*