This post is sponsored by Gay Lea.
Well, it’s supposed to be summer in a few weeks although it doesn’t feel like it (strange weather we’re having lately – hot one day, raining and cold the next) except if you take a peek at the produce that’s starting to shine in the markets. Something I’m always excited about coming into season in the spring and summer is radishes. I mean, look…
Right? How could you NOT want to pick up a bunch of these? It’s actually perfect timing since the theme for this month’s Gay Lea post is fresh Ontario produce!
I’ve been so happy to see these colourful gems on market stands and in my organic delivery box for the past few weeks – I mean you can buy them year-round but they just don’t taste the same. One of my absolute favourite ways to enjoy these is as an apéritif snack with a bit of butter, a pinch of salt and a glass of rosé. Perfection. Or, if it’s not apéritif hour, a slick of butter on a fresh slice of baguette topped with thinly-sliced radish does the trick too.
As I enjoyed this for an afternoon snack a couple of weekends ago, I got to thinking about making a quick compound butter with grated radish so it’s even easier to enjoy my favourite flavours on a whim. I’m a big fan of compound butters (remember this garlic and parsley version I made a while back?) and I’ve had radish butter a few times before so figured it would be a good way to preserve that lovely fresh taste of spring a little longer.
I’ve chosen to use Stirling Creamery Unsalted Butter for this recipe because it lets you control the amount of salt you use (sometimes I find salted butter too salty for this) and if you are making this to keep a couple of days, salted butter makes the radishes weep slightly.
It’s the easiest recipe but one you’ll want to make over and over again as the days get longer and warmer. It’s a lovely burst of summer on a slice of bread!
- 4-5 radishes (around 65g)
- 57g (4 tablespoons, ¼ cup) Stirling Creamery Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- To serve:
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- Fresh bread
- Grate the radishes on the large holes of a box grater and squeeze out the excess water.
- Wrap the squeezed-out radishes in paper towel and squeeze again.
- Mash the radishes into the softened butter until well combined and the radishes are evenly distributed through the butter.
- Serve on fresh or toasted bread with a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if you choose.
What about you – what’s your favourite spring or summer produce?
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Disclosure: I am part of the PTPA Brand Ambassador Program with Gay Lea, and receive compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. As always, opinions expressed here are my own and I only write about/ recommend products I use and love. If you know me in real life or follow me on social media, you’ll know that writing a French food cookbook requires ridiculous amounts of butter so this campaign is a perfect fit 😉
This sounds yummy! I’m totally intrigued! Gotta find myself some radish!
It’s the right season!
We love Stirling butter and love radishes, but never thought of mixing the two and making compound butter! It looks and sounds great, spread on crostini. You are so right, produce eaten out of season just don’t taste the same!
Right? In-season radishes are just so much better!
Your post has perfect timing. I know that there will be radishes in my CSA share when I pick it up this afternoon. I went out and bought European butter (we don’t have Stirling here) and a baguette. I plan on having radish butter for aperitif this evening.
I am so glad you made this and enjoyed it!
I love radishes but never thought to fold them into butter – thanks for the idea!
It’s so simple yet so good!
I love how you and I were totally on the same wavelength this month… radishes plus butter is such a wonderful combination, especially at this time of year when the radishes are so plump and crunchy. And how gorgeous are those bright pink flecks of radish skin in the butter… it’s almost too pretty to eat! 🙂
Yes I was worried it wouldn’t look so good but was happy with how it ended up!
It does look gorgeous, but I’ve never tasted it.
We’ll have some this summer!