I love the combination of crisp and barbecued radishes against grilled asparagus, burrata and the crunch of good sea salt flakes. All this needs is a simple lemon and basil dressing, and you have a sharing platter that is both moreish and beautiful. [Editor’s note – you can also make this indoors on a griddle if you are not able to barbecue.] 

Method

• Trim the ends of the asparagus spears (or snap the ends off at the point where they break easily), then tip them into a large bowl with the halved radishes, olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, and mix well.
• Put the thinly sliced radishes into cold water to crisp up. In a separate bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, a big pinch of sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper for the dressing. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
• Once your barbecue is ready, griddle the asparagus and halved radishes for about 6–8 minutes, turning them every so often, until nicely charred.
• Transfer to a serving platter, scatter over the drained sliced radishes, and drizzle with most of the lemon dressing. Place the burrata in the middle of the dish and pour the remaining dressing over it, then scatter everything with the basil leaves and serve hot or at room temperature.
• NOTE: When you prepare your radishes, halve the largest ones and slice the smallest ones, to make sure you don’t lose any through the barbecue grill.

Recipe from: The Green Barbecue (Square Peg)

Recipe first published in The JC July 01 2021