February 11, 2012

	The last day for the Flyway Festival is today. What's the Flyway Festival you ask? Check them out: http://sfbayflywayfestival.com/ Here's Vilma at the Flyway Festival spreading the word about the Vallejo People's Garden.
	Darren presenting the unusual vegetable during this month's board meeting--daikon. Daikon radishes are spicy relatives of the more familiar red round or French breakfast radishes and can be used in many of the same recipes. Daikons are great grated or sliced thinly in salads or slaws, boiled in teas, steamed, sauteed, or boiled and mashed with your favorite potatoes. They are low in calories and rich in vitamin C. Darren brought two yummy dishes using the following recipes: Glazed Daikon: 2-3 daikons, sliced in rounds 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups maple syrup Salt and pepper to taste Place single layer of daikon slices in bottom of large saute pan. Add butter, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and enough water to cover the daikon halfway and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and raise heat back to a boil until liquid reduces and daikon is tender. The longer you reduce them, the sweeter the daikon will be.
	Easy Daikon Salad: 2 cups julienne cut daikon radish 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar 2 tsp granulated sugar 1 tsp sweet rice wine optional: crushed peanuts Place the daikon in a colander over a bowl or sink and sprinkle with salt. Mix well. Let sit for 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water and then rinse well with cold water. Drain. In a small saucepan, combine the seasoned rice vinegar, sugar and rice wine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Transfer the daikon to an airtight container and pour the rice vinegar mixture over. Shake or stir well to combine. Chill for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy. Serves four.