Reviving the Radish

We all have the best intentions when we go to the farmers' market. Of course we will use up this basket-full of leafy greens, crisp cucumbers, and ruby red radishes before they begin to wilt! We will eat them up tonight! Or tomorrow! Or perhaps the next day...

Well, the road to the compost pile is undoubtedly paved with the best intentions. So if, four or five days out from market day, you are ready to dig in to a Prosciutto, Butter, and Radish Crostini (or maybe this delectable Cucumber Radish Salad from Sassy Radish) but your once gem-like radishes are looking wilty and limp. Even the saddest radish can be revived. And this trick works for other wilted greens and veggies including carots, celery, kale, lettuces, collards, mustard greens, Swiss chard, you name it. If it's leafy and greenish but shriveled and maybe a little past its prime, give this method a go.

All you have to do is submerge the produce in a bowl of cold water and leave it in the fridge (no need to cover) for several hours. Even overnight. As soon as your veggies perk up, they are ready.

Don't believe me? Check out the after pic, below! Almost makes you want to bring a bigger basket to next week's market, doesn't it?

^{Photos by Olga Massov}

Comments

[Ladomestique]

Good trick! I always put my radishes in a large ziplock bag, closed and stored in the veggie drawer of the fridge. They will be perky for a week stored this way. :)

[aneelee]

this is my trick with bok choi (which is what i always seem to let sit around for longer than i should). hadn't put mine in the fridge though. wonder if that speeds it along.

[melissa]

great tip! just exactly what the kale in my fridge needs...a hefty perk-up.

[matt]

GET OUT lol it's not april fools.

[Slow Lorus]

I fully submerge wilted produce in some water and put the whole kit and caboodle in the fridge for a few hours. It worked wonders on some super-wilted ramps a few weeks ago that I hadn't gotten to in time. Even the saddest of the leaves perked up perfectly.

[Greenyourplate.blogspot.com]

I was just thinking this morning about the radishes I bought earlier this week and how I forgot to cut the greens off to store them separately. Will have to bust out this move when I return home tonight.

[Sara]

Love it! It's one of those things that's so obvious -- but not until you pointed it out.

[CookiePie]

Fantastic tip! I have some radishes from my CSA wilting in the fridge right now, I'm going to try this tonight!