Tacos are everything here in our family.
Forget Taco Tuesday, our kids could have tacos every day – Taco Monday, Taco Wednesday, Taco Saturday… tacos with beans, tacos with fish — even tacos with potatoes. They are easy to make and a kid favorite no matter what we hide inside.
We always have a bunch of radishes too – they are easy to grow, and oddly enough, our girls like to eat them as they are – just like an apple. A small apple. Next time you find yourself with a bunch of radishes to use up quickly, these pickled radishes are the way to go. They are the perfect mix of spicy, sweet and pickled and are perfect for tacos and sandwiches or even eaten as they are – straight from the jar.
Start by slicing a pound of radishes thin, and tossing in a bowl with a half cup of chopped cilantro and a half jalapeño. The radishes get their kick from the diced jalapeño ~ so if you love things a little extra spicy, toss in more of the pepper.
Heat up your vinegar, sugar and salt on the stove top – stir until dissolved, and bring to a low boil. Turn off the heat and allow to cool (the fridge is wonderful for making this happen quickly!) Stuff your radishes, cilantro and jalapeño in a wide-mouth quart canning jar, pack very tightly, then stuff 1-2 chile de arbol down the side of the jar, sprinkle with pepper flakes and mustard seeds, and pour the cooled vinegar atop.
If you are short on liquid, top off with vinegar and a pinch of salt.
Allow the flavors to do their thing for 24 hours before throwing them in the refrigerator.
Since there is no formal canning process to make these shelf stable, it’s important to refrigerate them and use them within 7-10 days.
An unusual twist to radishes, these sweet and spicy pickled radishes are easy to make and perfect on tacos!
Ingredients
- 1 lb radishes, sliced thin
- 1/4 C. cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 - 1 jalapeño, finely diced
- 1 C. vinegar, or more as needed
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 chiles de arbol (optional)
- 1 Tbsp mustard seed
Instructions
- Wash and dry the radishes - slice thin and add to a large bowl along with the chopped cilantro and jalapeño - set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar with the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Bring to a low boil on the stove, then turn off and allow to cool completely (you can also toss in the fridge if you are in a hurry).
- Grab a wide-mouth quart canning jar and pack it to the top with the radish/cilantro/jalapeño mixture. Pack tightly. Pull the stems off the chile de arbol and stuff one down each side of the jar (if you are using them), then sprinkle the red pepper flakes and ground mustard on the top of the packed radishes.
- Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the top of the mixture in the jar, if needed, top off with additional vinegar and a pinch of salt.
- Place the lid and ring tightly on the jar and allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours before placing in the refrigerator.
- Consume within 7-10 days.
