Radishes are one of the most rewarding vegetables in your spring garden. They are often the first seeds to sow and they are always the first to pull up and eat, just 4 weeks after they’re sown. You see bunches and bunches of them in farmer’s markets right a long side asparagus this time of year. But there doesn’t seem to be an overabundance of uses for them other than tossing them on a salad or eating raw as appetizers. I came across this recipe and had to try it. Perfect for cruising—using tough fruits and vegetables like carrots, onions, radishes and oranges that can be stowed for weeks—it is also one of the best tasting salads I’ve ever come across. I rarely hear the words “great!” and “salad!” come from my skipper in the same sentence. But this Moroccan delight prompted immediate compliments and requests for seconds.

Moroccan Orange, Carrot & Radish Salad

SALAD
2-3 cups grated carrots
3 oranges, total
1/2 large red onion
3-4 red radishes
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves, totaL

DRESSING
3 tablespoons EVOO
Juice of one lemon
Juice of one orange
1 tablespoon orange flower water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
t tablespoon cilantro leaves
1+ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
black pepper to taste

Shred between 2-3 cups carrots. Using a small handheld vegetable grater is perfect for a boat. You can shred through 4 carrots in under 5 minutes.

Peel two of the oranges, then slice through the segments. I like this approach to a salad with oranges rather than just segmenting the orange to put in the salad which does not allow for much juice to come through. Slice the radishes and half the red onion.

Toss all in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro leaves. Next make the dressing.

Juice the remaining orange and the lemon. I don’t have a juicer on board so I typically just grind out the juice with a spoon, catching the lemon seeds through a strainer. Add the 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon orange flower water and blend well. Orange flower water and rose water are very common ingredients in Moroccan recipes, like our recent dessert, M’Hencha. If you can’t find it locally there are a variety of places you can order it from online.

Mix in the rest of the herbs and spices. Blend well and pour onto the salad. Toss well. It can be served immediately or refrigerated for a day or so. It’s not a salad that’s going to wilt quickly and is good even the next day. I like to serve with olives and pita bread. The saltiness of the olives balance the sweetness of the salad. Any way you serve it, I promise you will delight your guests!