Late spring, with all its vegetable glory, reminds me of how much I love the straight-out-of-the-garden approach to serving seasonal ingredients. It's an old-fashioned approach, and with something as beautifully simple as fresh radishes plucked from the dirt, it's my go-to serving style right now.

Alongside a crock of good butter (you do need to use real butter for this) and a dish of flaky sea salt, radishes speak for themselves. In an unexpected farm-to-table twist, refrain from chopping of the tips and peeling the skin, where all the flavor lives. The only thing that elevates radishes from simple to spectacular is the addition of my butter dressing recipe, which is a fancy way of renaming butter, water and oil that's been emulsified.

When buying radishes from the farmers' market, look for firm, plump bulbs attached to crisp, bright green leaves. You can store radishes in the refrigerator for up to five days after removing the tops. In the spirit of our recently celebrated Earth Day, these tops need not go to waste! They too can be used in salads or cooked just like other greens. For added crispness, soak the radishes (and tops) in iced water an hour prior to serving.

Taken from a plant related to horseradish, turnips and mustard, radishes have a punchy flavor, which gets the salivary glands going. The grassy undertones of the olive oil in contrast with the peppery crunch of the radishes sings spring. The best part? This antipasto is fantastic served with an aperitif, like an especially chilled glass of sherry, to quench that sudden thirst.

RADISHES WITH BUTTER DRESSING

Serves 6

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons very warm water

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound radishes, preferably French Breakfast radishes, trimmed and halved lengthwise

Maldon or other flaky sea salt

Whisk the butter, water, and oil together in a small bowl until emulsified.

Place the radishes on a serving plate or cutting board. Drizzle with the dressing and season with the salt, or serve the dressing and salt on the side for dipping.

(Mario Batali is the chef behind 25 restaurants, including Eataly, Del Posto and his flagship Greenwich Village enoteca, Babbo.)