What is a radish?

Answer 1

Chiffonade (from the french root CHIFFON which means rags). It describes ribbons of vegetables (usually leafy ones which you roll up and cut cross-ways to produce the ribbons) which can be used raw or lightly sauteed. Radicchio is a leaf chicory, sometimes known as Italian chicory. It is grown as a leaf vegetable which usually has white-veined red leaves. It has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted. It can also be used to add color and zest to salads. Radicchio chiffonade is very finely sliced, or julienned, lettuce of the radicchio variety.

Answer 2

A radish is a red root vegetable that helps your body stay healthy and strong. It has many nutrients and tastes great in salads. See the produce manager at the grocery store and have him or her show you one.

Radishes also have healthy green leaves. When left to grow for longer than the usual root harvest period, all radish varieties bear small flowers, which subsequently develop into edible fruit pods. Podding or a rat-tailed radish is a type of seed pod variety grown exclusively for their long rat-tail like tapering pods. The pods feature mild radish-like flavor and spiciness.

Annual or biennial plant of the mustard family, probably of Oriental origin, grown for its large, succulent root. Low in calories and high in bulk, radishes have a sharp taste and are usually eaten raw. The shape of the edible portion of the root varies greatly, as does the color (from white through pink to red, purple, and black). Radishes may weigh only a few ounces or, in the case of the Japanese daikon, more than 2 lbs (1 kg).

Radishes come in different forms varying in size, color and duration of required cultivation time:

• Daikon or Japanese radishes are native to Asia. They are generally grown during winter months and have elongated smooth, icy-white roots.
• Black Spanish radishes are peppery and more flavorful than their white counterparts. They are turnip-like in size and shape, with black skin, and are particularly pungent, so if you're not used to its bite, you might want to peel this one.
• Green radish is native to Northern China. Its outer peel near the top stem end features leafy-green color which, gradually changes to white color near the lower tip. Inside, its flesh has a beautiful jade green color, with a sweet and less pungent flavor.
• Watermelon radishes have watermelon like flesh inside. However, they taste sweet and less peppery, something similar to that of white varieties. They are an heirloom daikon radish with creamy white to pale green skin with magenta flesh.
• Red globe radishes are the most common and popular in the U.S. They are small, round, and, of course, red.
• White icicle radishes are white and carrot-shaped.
• French breakfast radishes are an elongated, red-skinned radish with a white splash at the root end.
• Easter egg radishes are not a true variety but a marketing technique, whereby a combination of white, pink, red, and purple radishes are bundled and sold together (similar to rainbow chard).

Their biting pungent flavor comes from the isothiocyanate compound in them, which ranges from mild in the case of white icicles to be very hot in red globe and other pigmented radishes. The top greens are also edible and as nutritious as mustard or turnip greens.

Answer 3

Radicchio (Cichorium intybus), belongs to the Asteracae family, which also contains the herbs arnica, burdock, boneset, calendula, chamomile, chicory, cronewort (mugwort), coltsfoot, dandelion, echinacea, elecampane, feverfew, gravel root, grindelia, liferoot, milk thistle, tansy, yarrow, valerian, wormwood, and wild lettuce. It also contains the foods sunflower seeds, lettuces, true artichokes, sun chokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes), escarole, and endive. And it contains the decorative flowers asters, chrysanthemums, dahlias, bachelor's buttons, daisies, cosmos, coneflowers, goldenrods, sunflowers, and zinnias. Radicchio (pronounced ra-dee-kyoh) is sometimes known as Italian chicory, and is a perennial. It is grown as a leaf vegetable which usually has white-veined red leaves. It has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted.