Kaleidoscope Crudite Recipes

CRUDITE CHRISTMAS TREE WITH SOUR CREAM AND CHIVE DIP

Steps:

• For the dip: Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, lemon zest, granulated garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of black pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well combined and smooth. Transfer the dip to a medium bowl and fold in the chives and parsley. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and blanch until bright green and crisp tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a strainer to the ice bath. Repeat with the cauliflower. Drain the vegetables well and pat them very dry.
• To build the tree, make a triangle of broccoli florets in the center of a serving platter. Place the cucumber piece, skin side up, at the base of the tree as a stump and scatter the cauliflower on either side. Decorate the tree with tomatoes, cucumber slices and pepper strips and stars, leaving one star for the top.

KALEIDOSCOPE CRUDITE

Steps:

• Combine sour cream, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 1 hour and up to 8 hours. When ready to serve top with peppers.

CRUDITE WITH OLIVE-CREME FRAICHE DIP

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the olives, creme fraiche, and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine, then transfer to a small dipping bowl. Serve with an assortment of crudite, of your choice.

HALLOWEEN VEGETABLE TRAY WITCH WITH HERB DIP

Steps:

• For the herb dip: Combine the spinach, parsley, scallions, dill, lemon juice and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the sour cream, cream cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Process to make a smooth dip. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate while you make the veggie witch, or refrigerate up to 1 day.
• For the vegetable witch: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare an ice bath. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and simmer until bright green, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath to cool. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry. Add the green beans to the boiling water and simmer until bright green, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath to cool. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry.
• Set a large cutting board or platter on the counter with the short side closest to you. Arrange the broccoli florets in an inverted triangle on the lower half of the cutting board to make the witch's face. Add the radish slices for eyes and top with the cherry tomato slices for eyeballs. Add a spinach leaf right above each eye for eyebrows. Cut a 2-inch length from the pointy end of the carrot for the nose then cut a thin slice from the remaining piece of carrot on the bias for the mouth and arrange both pieces on the face.
• Arrange the green beans, pointy side down, on each side of the face for hair. Arrange the longest asparagus spears in a triangle shape at the top of the face for the witch's hat. Trim the remaining spears and arrange on the top left of the hat to make a crooked point for the hat.
• Gather the microgreens or arugula at the top of the face for bangs. Arrange the cucumber slices horizontally over top to make the brim of the hat so the bangs stick out. Cut a thin lengthwise slice from the carrot and trim to make a band for the hat. Set the baby bell pepper slice in the middle to make a buckle.
• Arrange the rainbow baby carrots, celery and cauliflower around the witch to fill in the platter. Serve with the dip.