The Garden & Saucier
Spicy Thai Pesto Crostini with Pickled Radishes
The Strategy:
Pickling radish slices in a quick vinegar brine adds a bright, tangy crunch that cuts through the rich pesto. Blending fresh spinach, sweet peppers, lemongrass, ginger, and serrano chilies yields a vibrant, herbaceous pesto with a delightful kick. Spread this zesty green paste on grilled baguette slices and top with the pickled radishes for a sensational appetizer.
Ingredients
Radishes
- 2⁄3 cup white wine vinegar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 bunch radishes, about 12, tops removed, thinly sliced
Pesto
- 1 pound baby spinach leaves, about 4 cups
- 1 medium sweet long red pepper, seeded and chopped, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 stalk lemongrass, outer layer discarded, chopped, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 (½-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated, about 2 teaspoons
- 1 serrano chili, seeded and chopped, about 2 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons roasted, salted peanuts
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled, about 1 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1⁄3 cup vegetable oil, plus more for baguette slices
Crostini
- 1 small baguette cut into diagonal ½-inch slices
Instructions
Radishes
- Whisk together the vinegar, sugar and 2 teaspoons salt and pour over the radishes in a small bowl.
- Set aside at least 30 minutes.
Pesto
- Place the spinach, sweet pepper, lemongrass, ginger, serrano chili, peanuts, garlic, fish sauce, and coriander into the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse to form a paste. With the machine running, slowly pour in the vegetable oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Crostini & Assembly
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Brush each side of the baguette slices with vegetable oil.
- Grill until golden on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Drain the radishes from the brine.
- Spread each baguette slice with pesto. Fan several radish slices on top.
The Heart of the Table
These crostini are a lively burst of flavor and color, bringing a playful, modern twist to the start of a meal. The combination of spicy Thai-inspired pesto and bright pink radishes sparks excited conversation and sets a fun, adventurous tone for the evening.
The Art of the Host
- a sleek, solid brass Japanese double jigger with inner measurement lines
- a solid copper balloon whisk to perfectly aerate ingredients
- a wide, copper-plated wire cooling rack to ensure perfect airflow
- an instant-read digital meat thermometer with a backlit display
- a pair of professional-grade stainless steel locking kitchen tongs
- a flexible stainless steel slotted turner with a walnut handle
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Arrange the crostini on a flat slate board, fanning the pickled radish slices over the green pesto to create a beautiful contrast of pink and green.
- THE POUR: A chilled, off-dry Riesling or a sparkling water infused with fresh lime and sliced ginger.
- THE VIBE: Covered Veranda. Guests mingle happily under the warm evening air, enjoying the spicy, crunchy bites with their drinks.