Seasonal Crudites Recipe

Roast the eggplants

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Prick each eggplant a few times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast for 35–45 minutes, turning once, until the skin is charred and the flesh is very soft. Alternatively, you can char the eggplants directly over a gas flame or on a grill for smokier flavor.

Cool and drain

Remove roasted eggplants from the oven and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and let steam for 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut open and scoop flesh into a fine-mesh sieve or colander. Let drain for 10–15 minutes, pressing gently to remove excess liquid (this prevents a watery dip).

Blend

Transfer drained eggplant flesh to a food processor. Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic (minced), smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, black pepper, and 2 tbs olive oil. Pulse until mostly smooth, scraping sides as needed. If mixture is too thick, add up to 2 tbs water, 1 tbs at a time, to reach a spreadable consistency.

Finish

Taste and adjust seasoning (more lemon or salt as desired). Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle remaining 1 tbs olive oil over the top. Sprinkle chopped parsley and a pinch of smoked paprika for color. Keep warm or at room temperature before serving.

Prepare herbs

Wash and roughly chop basil, parsley, and chives. Peel the garlic clove.

Blend dressing

In a blender or food processor combine chopped herbs, garlic, yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and bright green, scraping down the sides once. If the dressing is too thick, add 1 tsp water or more olive oil to reach a drizzling consistency.

Adjust and chill

Taste and adjust for acidity and salt. Transfer to a bowl or squeeze bottle and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld. Bring to room temperature before serving if chilled too long.

Prepare vegetables: Wash and trim all vegetables. Peel and cut the carrots into long sticks. Trim and cut cucumber into sticks. Halve or quarter radishes, cut celery into sticks, halve mini peppers, and trim broccolini into bite-size pieces if using. If using broccoli florets, blanch in boiling salted water for 1 minute then plunge into ice water; drain thoroughly.

Arrange on platter: On a large serving platter or board, arrange the crudites in groups for color and ease of picking. Place the eggplant dip in a shallow bowl in the center and the green goddess dressing in a second bowl alongside (or pour into a squeeze bottle for drizzling).

Garnish and serve: Garnish dips with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of chopped parsley (eggplant dip), and microgreens or herbs around the platter for freshness. Serve immediately at room temperature; if making ahead, keep dips refrigerated and bring to room temperature 20 minutes before serving.