Peppery, crisp radishes are one of spring’s stars, with 8 recipes

Radishes are the kooky sidekick of the vegetable world. They’re almost never the star attraction in a dish, but they’re often the little “pop” that pushes it to the next level.

For the farmers who grow them, they’re often a nice little pop, too. As you’ll no doubt remember from your kindergarten science class, radishes go from seed to harvest almost while you’re watching them. Well, that’s a slight exaggeration, but certainly within a month. That can be key at this time of year, when farmers are straddling the change of seasons from cool and rainy to hot and dry.

The radish world has exploded over the last several year. Once only available in red and round, radishes come in a whole variety of shapes, sizes and colors. There are sweet white Icicle radishes and fiery black radishes with a pungent trace of horseradish. The ever-popular French Breakfast radish is a pretty crimson blush with white tips. And the huge watermelon radish looks like something painted by psychedelic artist (it takes a couple months to grow, some usually comes on a little later).

Most of these – with the possible exception of the fibrous black radish – can be used interchangeably depending on the look you’re going for and what’s available at the market.

How to choose: Select radishes that have vivid green tops that look fresh; don’t worry about any holes in the leaves, that seems to go with the territory. The radishes themselves should be brightly colored without any splits or cuts. They should be firm when squeezed; sometimes they grow too fast and are hollow inside.

How to store: Radishes are fairly resilient. Keep them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and they’ll last a week in good condition. If you’re going to keep them longer, remove the tops (they pull moisture from the root).