Vegetable Crudités Recipe
selection of seasonal vegetables, buttermilk ranch
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Ingredients
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Crudités
Buttermilk Ranch
Method
Crudités
- 1
Prepare vegetables
Wash all vegetables thoroughly and drain. Pat dry with a towel.
- 2
Carrots
Peel the carrots and trim the ends. Cut into 7–9 cm (3–4 inch) batons about 1–1.5 cm (1/3–1/2 inch) thick for easy dipping.
- 3
- 4
Bell peppers
Halve the peppers lengthwise, remove seeds and membranes, then cut into strips about 2 cm (3/4 in) wide. Use a mix of colors for visual appeal.
- 5
Celery
Trim the tops and bottoms of the celery. Cut stalks into 7–9 cm (3–4 in) sticks. If ribs are thick, remove strings with a peeler first.
- 6
Radishes
Trim root and stem ends. Slice radishes in half or quarters depending on size so pieces are bite-sized and easy to spear.
- 7
Sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes
Trim pea strings if needed. Leave cherry tomatoes whole or halve large ones.
- 8
Fennel
Trim fronds (reserve some for garnish), remove core if tough, and thinly slice or cut into sticks similar to other vegetables.
- 9
Broccoli
Cut broccoli into small, bite-sized florets. Briefly blanch if you prefer a tender-crisp texture: bring a pot of salted water to a boil, plunge florets for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking; drain and dry.
- 10
Seasoning and arranging
Toss the prepared vegetables gently with lemon juice, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper to brighten flavors (do this just before serving to avoid wilting). Arrange vegetables on a platter in groups by type, place reserved fennel fronds and chopped fresh herbs over the top for garnish.
Buttermilk Ranch
- 11
Combine base
In a medium bowl whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup sour cream until smooth and slightly thickened.
- 12
Add herbs and aromatics
Fold in 2 tbsp finely chopped chives, 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley, 1 tbsp finely chopped dill and 1 minced garlic clove.
- 13
Acid and seasoning
Add 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional), 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Whisk until combined.
- 14
Adjust consistency and chill
If the dressing is too thick, whisk in an extra tablespoon of buttermilk at a time until desired dipping consistency is reached. Taste and adjust salt, pepper or lemon as needed. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to let flavors meld (up to 2 days).
- 15
Serve
Spoon the buttermilk ranch into a small bowl and place in the center or side of the crudités platter for dipping. Garnish the dressing with a sprinkle of chopped chives or dill if desired.