Lebanese Radish Salad Recipe

Recipe by: nicholio

"This easy dish was inspired by an appetizer I enjoyed once at a Lebanese restaurant in Atlanta. The simple combination of peppery radishes, toasted walnuts, and fresh mint is satisfying and somehow greater than the sum of its parts. It is prettiest when served immediately and tastes great with roasted meats and hearty grain salads. If you have leftovers, try tucking them into toasted pitas with a little goat cheese or feta."

25 m | 8 servings | 155 cals

Ingredients

1 cup walnut halves
1 pound radishes, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal®)
1/2 teaspoon honey
20 fresh mint leaves

Directions

Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking occasionally, until fragrant and a shade darker, 2 to 4 minutes. Chop coarsely.
Place radishes in a serving bowl.
Whisk oil, lemon juice, salt, and honey in a small bowl until combined; drizzle over radish slices and toss to coat.
Stack mint leaves, roll tightly, and slice crosswise into thin ribbons. Fold mint and walnuts into salad.

Footnotes

Cook's Notes:
Walnut oil can replace olive oil, if desired.

You can use a knife or a food processor fitted with a slicing blade to slice the radishes, but a V-slicer or mandoline makes neat, round, uniform slices.

Some radishes are more peppery than others. If yours are particularly hot, you may want to use more honey or lemon juice, or both, to balance the flavor.

Use a slotted spoon to serve, as liquid will collect in bottom of bowl as salad sits.