Butter and radishes on a slice of bread is a classic combination. For these sandwiches, we’ve pickled the radishes to give them a sweet and tangy bite, slathered soft white bread with butter, and used watercress for a peppery crunch. Serve them at a bridal shower or an afternoon tea party with cucumber sandwiches and a fruity tea-infused sparkling punch.

Game plan: The pickled radishes need to be made at least 1 day in advance, so plan accordingly.

  • Yields: 16 tea sandwiches (or 4 regular sandwiches)
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 50 mins, plus at least 24 hrs pickling time 

Ingredients (14)

For the pickled radishes:

  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon yellow or brown mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 bunch red radishes (about 10 to 13 radishes)

For the sandwiches:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), at room temperature
  • 8 slices white sandwich bread
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup watercress (from about 1/2 bunch), tough stems removed

Instructions

For the pickled radishes:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients except the radishes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the brine from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the radishes.
  2. Trim the leafy tops off (discard or save for another use) and wash the radishes. Thinly slice and place in a pint jar.
  3. When the brine is ready, pour it into the jar, making sure to cover the radishes completely. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Seal the jar with a tightfitting lid and shake or rotate it to evenly distribute the brine and spices. Refrigerate and let pickle at least 1 day before using. The pickles can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For the sandwiches:

  1. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of the butter on each bread slice. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the watercress among 4 of the bread slices. Shingle the pickled radishes over the watercress (about 20 per sandwich), overlapping them slightly. Close the sandwiches with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Trim the crusts. Make 2 cuts on each sandwich to form 4 rectangular tea sandwiches.