For only 1 net carb per ounce (as opposed to 5 net per ounce for potatoes), the terrific root vegetable known as the daikon radish is a crowd pleaser.
I have tried daikon (mooli for our friends outside of the US) for various uses and found my favorite as a baked addition to the au gratin to be my personal favorite of all of the methods I have attempted.
The daikon radish is wonderful. With a mild flavor, and just the right amount of body, thin-sliced performs admirably in dishes where potatoes have long been missed.
Your best bet with daikon is to remove the outer skin, slice as thin as you can, soak in a cold saltwater bath for about 20 minutes, pat dry and then put them in any dish where you used sliced potatoes before. Perfection ensues and your family will be like, “What?!” But why tell them? It’s our little secret.
Speaking of secrets, the other day, I was taking a business call, when my high schoolers called for a ride home.My college-aged son ran out the door to get them.
Ten minutes later, my oldest walks through the door with the teens in tow, wearing nothing but his t-shirt, boxer shorts and boots. I said, “Did you seriously drive to get the kids in your underwear?!” And my college kid looks down slowly, and then at me with a big cheesy grin and says (in his best, “Are you Being Served” Ernest Granger, slow-mo, codgery British accent), “Damn… I seem to have forgotten my pants.”[He didn’t. His natural state is in his underwear]
“You’d regret the pat-down if the officer pulled you over.”
“I guess I didn’t have my wallet either. I have no pockets.”
Faceplam. Thankfully he wore trousers and a dapper jacket when he spoke at a small graduation later that day. I can’t imagine how that event would have unfolded otherwise, especially with a buffet table nearby.
Things to keep in mind:
- I sliced my veggies using a meat slicer for thin slices, but you can use a sharp knife.
- Slice the veggies into rounds, not lengthwise.
- You can lower fat content in this dish by using half and half instead of heavy white cream, along with lower fat cheeses.
- This dish is vegetarian friendly, low carb, gluten free, and sugar free.
- Daikon radishes stay a wee bit crunchy, so know that you’re not going to get a mooshy, smooshy potato. I like the texture, so if you don’t think of it as a potato (and slice it super thin), you’re going to be very happy.
- I have not run the numbers yet because I am a naughty naughty monkey, but it’s low carb and a little goes a long way thanks to the decadence of the dish.
- Want a little added color in your dish? Toss in some pepper jack. The colorful seeds/skins of the peppers lends pops of color throughout.
- Make sure your kids consider pants when driving. They have pockets.
Daikon au Gratin
1/2 large daikon radish sliced thin, about 4 cups
1 cup thin-sliced onions
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup heavy white cream
2 cups shredded cheese
2 Tbsp dried parsley
2 Tbsp dried chives
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp pepper
Soak sliced daikon radish in cold, salted water for 20 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Arrange all sliced daikon in an ungreased 9X12” casserole dish.
Over medium heat, in a medium-large saucepan, cook onion in butter until transparent, stirring occasionally (just a few minutes). Add parsley, chives, garlic powder and pepper and stir, just until bubbling. Add cream and stir occasionally until heated through (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and worked into the sauce.Pour the thickened liquid over the vegetable.
Bake, covered, for 45 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10-20 minutes uncovered to crust up the cheese slightly.
Makes 8 servings.
Thanks, I was wondering what to have with my pork chop tonight…can’t wait!
Funnily enough was just looking at Potato Gratin recipes earlier, this would definitely be a healthier option, can’t wait to give it a go. Please continue with all the fab recipes, love them
C x
Kohlrabi also works as an au gratin, and as a suitable replacement for potatoes in soups ans stews. They’re a pain to peel, but once the peeling’s done…
I love kohlrabi, have wondered how best to use them. This recipe sounds wonderful and I love daikon, but also will try kohlrabi.
Can’t wait to try this in January when our family goes gluten-free and I go low carb! I enjoy your writing. You are very talented!
Interesting idea, thanks! Lactose intolerant moi can eat cheese, but would hve to swap in Trader Joe’s coconut cream for the heavy cream, much as I love it. If you haven’t tried TJ’s coconut cream, you’re in for a treat. It’s like unsweetened coconut pudding, near-solid vs. liquid coconut ‘milk’. More carbs but a great heavy cream substitute.
Funny story! Glad your kids got home in one piece. In spite of similar episodes, my 3 sons made it to adulthood, tho I’m not certain they’ve grown up yet.
Sorry, but I’ve never heard of daikon radish. I googled it, to see what it looks like and I don’t believe I’ve seen it in any local grocery stores. Is there a more commonly found veg that could be substituted?
Daikon is an Asian radish more typically found in japanese Korean and chinese cuisine. Try an Asian market. That’s where I just went to get some for this recipe.
I am not a fan of raw radishes…. Does cooking them change the flavor? That would be great, as there are tons of Asian markets around here and they are super cheap!
I’m also not a fan of radishes but I love daikon -doesn’t really taste like a radish to me at all.
This sounds wonderful! I was wondering, in the list of ingredients, the type of shredded cheese is not specified. Please advise? Thank you – I can’t wait to try this!
Cheddar, but feel free to use your favorite kind to mix it up!