Crudité Recipe

Wash and trim

Rinse all vegetables under cold running water. Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Prepare cucumbers

Trim the ends of the cucumbers. For long sticks, cut each cucumber in half crosswise, then slice each half lengthwise into quarters (or halves for thicker sticks). Cut into 3–4 inch batons for easy dipping.

Prepare carrots

Peel carrots if desired. Cut into halves or thirds lengthwise, then slice each piece into 3–4 inch batons. For a more refined look, use a mandoline or vegetable peeler to create ribbons for some pieces.

Prepare celery

Trim the base and leafy tops from the celery stalks. Cut each stalk into 3–4 inch sticks, trimming any fibrous strings with a vegetable peeler if necessary.

Prepare bell peppers

Slice bell peppers in half, remove seeds and membranes, then cut into 3–4 inch wide strips (lengthwise). If desired, cut one color into smaller dice for variety.

Prep tomatoes, radishes, peas, florets

Leave cherry tomatoes whole (or halve if large). Trim radish roots and slice in half or quarters for bite-size pieces. Trim and blanch snow/sugar peas if you prefer them tender-crisp: boil 30 seconds then plunge into ice water and drain. Cut broccoli and cauliflower into small bite-sized florets; trim any tough stems.

Chill

Arrange prepared vegetables on a tray or platter; chill in the refrigerator for 15–30 minutes before serving if serving cold.

Quick herbed yogurt dip

In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt (1 cup) with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Stir until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. Optionally add 1 small minced garlic clove or 1 teaspoon dill if making tzatziki-style.

Dress hummus

Spoon hummus into a shallow bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top, sprinkle 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Add a small pinch of sea salt and cracked pepper to finish.

Mustard for variety

Spoon whole grain mustard into a small ramekin so guests have a tangy option.

Assemble dips

Place each dip (hummus, herbed yogurt, mustard) into separate small bowls or ramekins and arrange them on the serving platter among the vegetables. Garnish dips with a light drizzle of olive oil, a dusting of smoked paprika, and parsley as prepared above.

Arrange vegetables on a large platter or wooden board in groups by color and type for an attractive presentation: put cucumbers, carrots, celery, peppers, tomatoes, radishes, peas, broccoli and cauliflower in separate clusters. Place the bowls of dips near the center or spaced around the board so each cluster of vegetables has access to a dip.

Scatter optional accoutrements such as olives, marinated feta and toasted pita chips around the platter to add flavor and texture.

Finish with a light sprinkle of chopped parsley over the vegetables and a few cracks of black pepper. Serve immediately or keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours before serving. If storing longer, keep vegetables and dips separate and assemble just before serving.