Sweet and Spicy Roasted Radishes

I feel like the simplicity of this recipe might be a little shocking. Despite my past endeavors of making pierogi, massaging kale and letting flavors blend for a few days in the fridge, these roasted radishes take about 15 minutes start to finish. 

I am crazy about radishes. When I was introduced to the classic combo of sliced radishes over buttered toast sprinkled with sea salt, it was life changing. The finest of simple, whole foods. 

I had one bunch leftover after a project last week. A couple weekends ago I had the grand opportunity to take a photography workshop with Matt Armendariz and Adam Pearson. I remembered Adam mentioning that he tried candying radishes and they turned out to be delicious. So that sparked the idea of a sweet and spicy roasted radish. 

I tossed together a little dressing, coated the radishes and roasted them for a few minutes. Since I only had one bunch, this recipe serves one to two. It is super simple to double or triple if you need more. The only thing I may not multiply exactly is the salt. I used a quarter teaspoon and I feel like this could go a long way, even if the recipe is doubled. 

I’m loving this as a spring side dish or as an addition to a brunch. They are best served warm so get them to the table as soon as they come out of the oven.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon raw sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
1 bunch radishes, halved

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, sugar, cayenne pepper and salt. Add the radishes to the bowl and toss to coat. 

Spread the radishes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and stir the radishes. Roast for an additional 3 minutes, until browned and tender. Serve warm.