This member in good standing of the mustard family, a.k.a. winter cress or upland cress, has tiny heart-shaped leaves and a sweet and peppery bite. Like its cousin watercress, it’s often relegated to garnish duty, which is a shame since it’s delicious as a salad green either on its own or in a mix. It’s also a good substitute for watercress in this zingy recipe from chef Zakary Pelaccio’s forthcoming cookbook.
Zakary Pelaccio’s Radish Salad With Bottarga and Poached Egg
4 eggs
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
16 French breakfast or round red radishes
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups loosely packed upland cress (or watercress), about 4 bunches, available at Greenmarket’s Paffenroth Gardens farm stand
Fleur de sel
One 2-inch piece mullet bottarga
In a large pan, poach the eggs until the whites are firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked eggs to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Season with salt and pepper. (1) Slice radishes as thin as possible using a mandoline or paring knife. Put them in a colander, toss them with a little sea salt, and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Toss the radishes with lemon juice to taste and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Set aside. Toss the cress with just a touch of the remaining olive oil and a sprinkle of fleur de sel. (2) Divide half of the cress among 4 bowls and top with a poached egg. Use a Microplane grater or the mandoline to thinly shave some of the bottarga over each egg. (3) Distribute the radishes evenly over the eggs, then top them with the remaining cress and another shaving of bottarga. Finish with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Serve with grilled country bread. Serves 4. Adapted from Eat With Your Hands, by Zakary Pelaccio (Ecco; $39.99).