Pickled Red Shiso with Radishes If you’ve had sushi, you’ve probably had shiso, but you might not know what shiso is. Strangely, even though it’s got a lot of smokey, meaty flavor, so much so that it’s also referred to as “beefsteak plant,” this herb is most often used as the disposable green garnish under a sushi roll, or as an ornamental garden plant. But shiso’s anonymous status may be changing; no longer exclusively available at Japanese grocery stores, both green and red shiso have started appearing at my favorite New York City farmer’s market, a sure sign that it’s starting to get the attention it deserves. Red shiso leaves Shiso is native to Asia, and it’s used in various ways; in Korea, shiso leaves are pickled with spicy red pepper; in China’s Hunan cuisine, shiso is added to fish dishes for the last few minutes of cooking; and in Japan, the flavor is so ubiquitous that last summer, Pepsi came out with Shiso Pepsi. I don’t think I’ll go out of my way to seek out that last item, as the reviews have been, well, “mixed.” Yesterday I came across some beautiful red shiso, fresh and shiny with the root still attached. I was in the process of buying the makings for a simple white bean dip, to be served on crostini at a cocktail party, and this would be the perfect way to jazz it up. Shiso is a bright counterpoint to heavy, fatty dishes, and it would bring out the subtleties in my creamy dip. I wanted to highlight shiso’s vibrant color, so instead of mixing it into the dip, I made a quick pickle with red radishes to go on top. It looked gorgeous, and I fielded endless questions that night about just what was that secret ingredient that made the bean dip taste so good. Read on for the recipe. Radish slices in pickling liquid Use this pickle to accompany seared fish, chicken, or meat, as a topping for Asian-spiced noodle soup, or as a condiment for an antipasto platter. Recipe: Pickled Red Shiso With Radishes I chose to julienne my radish slices after they had been pickled, but this is simply an aesthetic choice; the pickles will still look pretty if left as discs. This recipe works beautifully with green shiso, too. To make a green shiso pickle, substitute 2 small cucumbers for the radishes. Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, slice them into half-moons ¼-inch thick, and proceed with the recipe instructions. 1 bunch radishes, sliced thin 2 cups white vinegar ½ cup sugar 10 coriander seeds 10 black peppercorns 5 allspice berries 5 whole cloves 1 teaspoon salt 10-20 red shiso leaves, sliced into strips and coarsely chopped Put the sliced radishes in a bowl, with a mesh strainer on top. In a saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, spices, and salt, to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the pickling liquid through the strainer onto the radishes, and stir to fully submerge. You can discard the pickling spices, or save them to pickle with again. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. If you’d like to julienne your radishes, strain and reserve the liquid and slice the radishes into strips. Pour the liquid back over the radishes and add the shiso leaves. If you’re not cutting the radishes into strips, simply add the shiso leaves when the liquid is cool. Stir in the leaves, and season with salt as needed. The pickle can be eaten right away, but will have more flavor after sitting for a few hours or overnight. The pickles should be stored in their liquid. They will last for a week in the refrigerator.

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