This year, we grew radishes, planting the seeds in compost and pulling up a hundred little beauties a few weeks later. They're easy to grow, with a fast enough turnaround to satisfy young children's attention spans. They are also often on offer in season so you'll pick them up cheaply wherever you are. They're bright, peppery and delicious in salads and risottos.
(serves 4) 63p per portion
1 large onion, sliced finely, 12p
2 fat cloves of garlic, chopped, 6p
25g butter, 12p
400g long grain rice, 16p
150ml white wine, 70p
1l chicken stock, 2p
200g radishes, sliced, 30p
140g broad beans, 28p
40g hard strong cheese, grated, 46p
Fistful of parsley, finely chopped, 13p
Lemon juice, to taste, 15p
Garnish with freshly picked mint
Toss the onion and garlic into a pan with most of the butter on a low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Add the remaining butter, then rice, and increase the heat to medium for a few minutes until the edges of the rice are translucent.
Pour over the wine and stir until almost absorbed, add a large splash of stock, stir. Repeat until rice is al dente (add some water at the end if you like your risotto soupy).
Toss in the radishes and broad beans, and stir through. Cook for a further five minutes.
Serve topped with finely chopped parsley, grated cheese and lemon juice to taste.
Tip: Don't throw away the radish tops! Older ones can be a bit rough, so cook them in a soup or blitz them into a pesto. Wash young leaves and use as you would watercress to make a salad.
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