Salt-Free Radish Sushi

Before I say anything else, let me tell you that I just ate some rice doused in Dave’s Total Insanity Hot Sauce (0mg of sodium). And they seriously aren’t lying in their marketing. This is total insanity. I overdoused. And now I think I’ve permanently scarred my mouth. Or, less melodramatically, I’ve definitely started sweating profusely in public.

But moving on.

Speaking of insanity, I experienced another form of this emotion (less burning) a few weeks ago at Bar Agricole here in the good old Bay Area. And while I can hardly remember the meal they so carefully crafted for me (a juicy, roasted salt-free chicken with reamy potatoes and padron peppers), I will never forget my dining partner’s appetizer.

Radish nigiri, soaked in a lemon verbana, with a sardine on top, wrapped in prosciutto or lard or some salty, delicious thing.

It was gorgeous. It was exquisite. And I had to figure out a way to make it low-sodium.

So I took to the cutting board…or grater…and I finely shredded a handful of radishes (about five). I used my hands to squeeze out any residual juice, trying to dry them out as much as possible. And then, to keep it all together, I added about 1/2 teaspoon of honey and some lemon rind (for a bright flavor). I mixed it with my hand and let it rest.

Then, onto the sardine.

I could have used a sardine because you can actually find small, canned ones that are low in sodium. But I wasn’t feeling fishy. I wanted fresh.

So I replaced the sardine with a thin slice of avocado. Because who doesn’t love avocado?

And finally, for the lard, cured-meat belt that holds the whole thing together, I thought a thinly sliced carrot would be perfect. I used a peeler to create strips and then, to make them more flexible, I soaked for a few minutes in hot water.

Then it’s all about presentation, chopsticks, and gulping it down in one bite.

Obviously, this is not something you’d make for a dinner party of twelve (maybe you would) or a weekly dinner (except if it was a Wednesday).

But if you want an easy way of showing someone that low-sodium food can be mind-blowingly amazing, then this little radish nigiri is definitely the way to go.

Thanks, Bar Agricole for the juicy chicken and salt-free recipe inspiration.

Chow on.