Fried Radishes and Artichoke Hearts

Even though it isn't really a winter thing, I decided to do a mezze dinner.  I just like having a meal consisting entirely of appetizers.  Plus, I was trying to get rid of some crackers I had bought for Chanukah hors d'oeuvres and some of a can of breadcrumbs.

And being winter, instead of light crudités, I fried my veggies.  This was originally going to be just artichokes, but the half a year's rain we got in the last two weeks of December made my radishes go bonkers.  I could have roasted them, but I was heating up oil anyway and the can of artichokes wasn't that big.

I went simple on the dipping sauce: plain Greek yogurt, wholegrain mustard, and paprika, with a bit of salt to wake them up.  The veggies should not be a sauce delivery vehicle.  They should complement and accent each other.

I did not season my breadcrumbs because of the tangy sauce and because the artichokes were canned in brine.  I couldn't find the ones canned in water, and they were out of frozen.  But I ended up really liking the ones I bought, and would get them again for a salad or pasta.

As for the radishes, they fry up a lot like potatoes.  They get soft and starchy, but retain enough of their tang to be interesting.  The texture of both items once fried is reminiscent of seafood, but in a non-fishy way.  This recipe could easily disguise a wide variety of veggies for kids.

For the Sauce

1/2 C plain Greek yogurt (I used fat free)
*2 tsp your favorite mustard (or less if that's too strong)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt

1.  Whisk together all ingredients.  Chill until ready to use.  Doing this step first allows the flavors to blend for a while.

For the Fried Bits

1 13.5 oz can artichokes in water or brine, drained
*4-8 red radishes (half a bunch), quartered
1/2 C flour
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tb water
*1-1/2 C unseasoned breadcrumbs
salt for the breadcrumbs, optional
oil for frying

1.  Drain and dry your veggies.  Quarter the artichokes if you didn't buy them that way, and snack on the outer leaves that fall off to decide if you should put salt in the breadcrumbs.  Cut off the tops and root tips of the radishes.  Quarter the radishes, or just cut them in half if they're small.

2.  Set up your 3-step dredge:  One shallow pan for flour, one for the beaten egg, and one for the breadcrumbs, stirring in a bit of salt if you think you need it.  Start heating half an inch of oil in a heavy saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat.  A deep fryer set to 350º would work here, but the oil will have to be tossed at the end and my fryer is big enough to do a whole cut-up chicken.  I didn't want to lose a whole bottle of oil on one recipe.

3.  Roll the artichokes in the flour to coat.  We're doing those first because they're pre-cooked and won't have to spend as long in the oil.  Transfer them to the second dish and coat in egg wash, then move them to the breadcrumbs and turn to coat all sides.

4.  Check the oil.  If it's between 350º and 375º, you're good to go.  Turn on the hood fan if you haven't yet.  Add pieces to the oil using tongs.  You may have to go in batches, depending on what size pot you chose.  Turn pieces if necessary to brown all sides, about 3-4 minutes total of cooking.  Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or a rack set over a baking sheet.  Repeat until all of the quarters are fried, adding more oil if necessary to maintain depth and waiting for it to heat.

5.  Go through the same dredging routine with the radishes, but they will need to cook for more like 6 minutes because they're raw.  They will also get darker than the artichokes.  Drain those as well.

6.  Serve while still warm, with the dipping sauce.

Difficulty rating  :)