Watercress with Radishes and Brown Butter

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Light-colored skillet or saucepan
• •Salad spinner
• •Mandoline or sharp knife
• •Large serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Select your greens

   Start at the market. Look for watercress with deep green leaves and no yellowing, stems that snap rather than bend. The bunch should smell clean and peppery when you bring it to your nose. If you can find watercress with roots still attached, buy that. It will keep for days in a jar of water on your counter, alive until you need it.

   Farmers who grow watercress often harvest it that morning. Ask when it was cut. Supermarket bunches may be days old and tired.
2. 2

   Choose perfect radishes

   The radishes matter as much as the greens. Look for specimens that are firm, heavy for their size, with unblemished skin that has not cracked. If the tops are still attached and look vibrant, that tells you everything about freshness. French breakfast radishes are lovely here, their elongated shape elegant against the round watercress leaves, but any fresh radish will do.

3. 3

   Wash and dry thoroughly

   Submerge the watercress in a bowl of very cold water, swishing gently to release any grit. Lift it out and repeat if necessary. Spin dry in a salad spinner, then spread on a clean kitchen towel to absorb any remaining moisture. The greens must be truly dry. Water on the leaves will cause the warm butter to sputter and slide off rather than cling.

   Cold water revives watercress that has wilted slightly. A ten minute soak can bring tired greens back to life.
4. 4

   Slice the radishes

   Trim the radishes and slice them thin, about the thickness of a coin. A mandoline makes quick work of this, but a sharp knife and patience serve just as well. The slices should be thin enough to bend slightly, thick enough to retain their satisfying snap. Arrange the watercress and radishes on a large platter or divide among four plates.

5. 5

   Brown the butter

   Cut the butter into pieces and place in a light colored pan over medium heat. The butter will foam as its water cooks out. Swirl occasionally and watch carefully. After three to four minutes, the foam will subside and you will see golden flecks settling at the bottom. These are the milk solids toasting. The moment the butter smells nutty and turns the color of hazelnuts, remove the pan from heat. This happens quickly. A few seconds too long and you have burnt butter, which is bitter.

   Use a light colored pan so you can see the butter changing. In a dark pan, you are cooking blind.
6. 6

   Dress immediately

   Work quickly now. The butter should be warm, not hot. Drizzle it over the greens and radishes, making sure to include those toasted milk solids at the bottom of the pan. They carry most of the flavor. Squeeze lemon juice over everything, using your hand as a strainer to catch seeds. Season with flaky salt and cracked pepper.

7. 7

   Serve at once

   This salad will not wait. The warmth of the butter softens the watercress slightly, tempering its pepperiness while keeping its aliveness intact. The radishes stay crisp against the wilting greens. Taste a bite. Adjust the salt and lemon if needed. Bring the platter to the table and serve immediately, while the butter still glistens and the contrast between warm and cool remains.

Chef Tips

• •Buy watercress with roots if you can find it. Stand the bunch in a jar of water like a bouquet and it will keep for nearly a week, staying alive rather than slowly dying in your refrigerator.
• •The quality of your butter matters here. Look for butter from grass-fed cows, which has a deeper yellow color and sweeter, more complex flavor. European-style butter with higher butterfat content browns more beautifully.
• •If watercress is not available, substitute arugula or young dandelion greens. Both share that pleasant bitterness that stands up to the richness of brown butter.
• •Save the radish tops if they look fresh. Wash them well and scatter a few over the finished salad. They are peppery and tender, and using them connects you to the whole plant.

Advance Preparation

• •Watercress can be washed, dried, and refrigerated wrapped in a damp towel up to one day ahead.
• •Radishes can be sliced several hours ahead and kept in cold water to stay crisp. Drain and pat dry before using.
• •The butter must be browned just before serving. This is a last-minute salad by design.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 130g)