Saturday 30 January 2010

030: Black Radish

It won't be long before winter is over, but a few of these dark roots still lurk in the garden, refusing to be categorised easily in the kitchen. They are appreciated when cooked, but actually making the decision to prepare them is not a light one. Not only do they have to be banished from he bosom of the Earth but I need to consider a suitable way to cook them beforehand. Their hearty, robust nature [in structure and taste] does not sit well with many delicate, subtle ingredients. Their strength and stubbornness makes them probably the most wintry vegetable I can imagine.
But I can see at least a couple of these being roasted in the near future - so that's a plan already.

Photo settings were f/8, 1/100 sec. ISO 100. M42 50mm, 9mm extensions.
I haven't had much time or opportunity to take any genuinely decent photos today, but the frozen snow from yesterday added some interest to potential outdoor scenes. I think the radishes possess a great variety of textures and shapes, if not a great deal of colour. Spiky fresh leaves sit on top while gangly dead stems flop below them. An algal bloom encrusts the root tops, highlighting both the root's skin texture and the time it has spent in the ground. A scattering of crusty snow finishes off this picture - not a great image, but one that I can relate to.

No comments: