An Unusual Ingredient - Radish Tops

Have you ever had or thought of eating radish tops?!?! Maybe?! Maybe not?!?!

Honestly, I am not a fan of radishes. It is crunchy but very spicy. I tried to eat them every time we received them in our CSA baskets. Last year, I added radish to a stir-fry dish, hoping that other ingredients might moderate the spiciness. It did not work. So when we received bunches of radishes the past two weeks, I did something different. I searched "radish green" in one of my favourite iphone recipe apps. Scrolling through the list of recipes, radish top soup caught my attention. "Radish top soup?!?! Interesting!" I thought to myself. After glancing through the ratings, ingredients and reviews, it actually appeared simple and "edible". I decided to give it a try. Why not?! I have got nothing to lose.

  

Okay, I know it was not the best looking dish. However, the soup was quite good, fresh and light (maybe because I have omitted the potatoes)! Unlike many reviewers on allrecipes.com, I did not think it tasted like spinach. It certainly, thank goodness, did not taste like radishes! Its texture was similar to spinach but its taste was much milder. I think much milder than turnip green, collard greens and kales too. I would recommend it if you like cream of spinach and/or kale and bean soup.

  

From Allrecipes.com
Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, diced

2 medium potatoes, sliced

4 cups raw radish greens

4 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup heavy cream

5 radishes, sliced

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and saute until tender. Mix in the potatoes and radish greens, coating them with the butter. Pour in chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
2. Allow the soup mixture to cool slightly, and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Mix in the heavy cream. Cook and stir until well blended. Serve with radish slices.               

Changes I have made this time:

• Substituted butter with a small amount of cooking spray
• Substituted heavy cream with milk
• Omitted potatoes
• Added carrots
• Added 1 radish when I blend the soup

Things I would do different the next time:

• Add some bacon (I have learnt that everything taste better with bacon)
• Not blending the soup
• Not adding the radish

How about you? What the the most unusual ingredient(s) you have used?