Anita Lo's Roasted and Pickled Radish Tacos

Directions

1. Preheat a toaster oven or oven to 400°F. Place the majority of the radishes, their tops, the olive oil, the tomatillo, and half the jalapeño in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and toss. Remove the tomatillo and jalapeño, and place to one side of the roasting pan. Add the cumin and cinnamon to the bowl with the radishes and toss again. Remove the radishes and place to the other side of the roasting pan. Bake until everything is softened, about 12– 15 minutes.
2. In the meantime, make the radish pickles: Cut the remaining 3 radishes into thin rounds and place in a small ramekin or bowl along with the onions, the other half of the jalapeño, and the smashed garlic. In a small sauté pan, bring the vinegar, three tablespoons water, and a pinch of salt to a boil, then pour over the sliced radish mixture. (Note: If your radishes are on the larger side and the brine amount looks scant, you can easily double it.) Set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. When the roasting vegetables are soft, remove the tomatillo and jalapeño and place them in the container that came with your immersion blender (alternatively, you can use a mini food processor). Add the radish greens to the baking pan and replace in the oven. Cook until wilted and remove. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Place the remaining third of the garlic clove in with the tomatillo and jalapeño, add the sprig of cilantro, the teaspoon of lime juice, and the remaining water, and blend with the hand blender, to make a smooth salsa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the salsa is looking thin and you'd like to bulk it up, you can add some of the wilted radish tops to the blender and blend till smooth.
4. Reheat the tortillas in a dry hot sauté pan, or on top of the toaster oven, one by one. Make the tacos with the roasted radishes and tops, garnished with a little salsa, pickles, and queso fresco. (Serve with wedges of lime if desired.)