Crudites With Buttermilk Peppercorn Dip Recipes

WINTER CRUDITES WITH BUTTERMILK DIP

Steps:

• Combine buttermilk, creme fraiche, dill, lemon zest and juice, and cayenne in a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day. Stir until smooth before serving.
• Arrange crudites in glasses (or on a platter), and serve, with dip.

CRUDITES WITH BUTTERMILK PEPPERCORN DIP

Steps:

• Prepare a large bowl of ice water, and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add 1 tablespoon salt. Trim beans, and place in the boiling water. Blanch until the color becomes bright green, 15 to 25 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer beans to the ice bath to cool. When cool, remove them from the ice water, pat dry with a paper towel, and set aside. Trim woody ends from asparagus, and immerse in the boiling water. Blanch until bright green, about 30 seconds; transfer to the ice bath to cool. Remove them from the ice water, pat dry, and reserve.
• Separate celery stalks, and wash thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler, peel away any tough, stringy fibers from the outside of each stalk. Trim the bottoms and tops off each stalk, and set aside. Peel jicama, and cut into 1/4-inch matchsticks, measuring 3 to 5 inches in length. Set aside. Wash cucumber very well, and cut in half (if using regular cucumbers); cut cucumber into spears, and set aside. Trim scallions to 9-inch lengths, and set aside. Wash and peel carrots, and cut lengthwise into strips measuring 1/4 inch in diameter. Set aside.
• Wash squash and zucchini very well, and cut into 1/16-inch-thick slices lengthwise, preferably on a mandoline. Peel daikon, and cut into 1/16-inch-thick slices lengthwise. Set aside all the slices, covered with a damp towel, until serving time. Wash and dry cherry tomatoes. Set aside.
• To make dip, combine sour cream, buttermilk, pepper, chives, thyme, shallot, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl, and stir well to combine. Set aside
• Place beans, asparagus, celery, jicama, cucumbers, and carrots in serving glasses. Roll up squash, zucchini, and daikon strips, and place on the serving platter with the other vegetables. Place tomatoes in a bowl or glass. Serve crudites with dip on the side.

CRUDITE DIP

Steps:

• Combine the first 9 ingredients; mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. If desired, sprinkle with additional parsley. Serve with vegetables.

COMPOST CRUDITES WITH RANCH DIRT DIP

Steps:

• In the carafe of a high-powered blender, combine the black beans, mayonnaise, buttermilk, dill, ranch seasoning mix and black pepper. Blend on high speed until a thick dip forms, about 2 minutes. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container until ready to serve.
• Serve the dip in a bowl lined with gem lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with "soil" made from the pumpernickel crumbs. Serve alongside assorted crudites, such as cauliflower in various colors, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes on the vine, mini rainbow carrots with greens, celery sticks and endive.

CRUDITE WITH ROASTED GARLIC AND RED BELL PEPPER DIP

Steps:

• For the peppers: Roast the peppers by placing them on an open gas flame, turning them frequently with tongs until all sides are charred black, 7 to 10 minutes. Place in a plastic or paper bag, and cool for about 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, remove the seeds and stems, and discard. Coarsely chop the peppers.
• Transfer the peppers and garlic to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the cheese and process until smooth. With the machine running, add 1/4 cup of the extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice in a steady stream through the feed tube. Add the basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and process until smooth. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Transfer to a decorative bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before serving, drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve cool or at room temperature, with assorted crudite for dipping.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the garlic on a foil-lined baking sheet and rub 1 teaspoon of oil into the top of each head. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and place, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake until the cloves are soft and golden, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Squeeze each head of garlic to expel the cloves into a bowl. Mash into a paste. Set aside until needed.

DIP AND CRUDITES

Steps:

• Using a chef's knife, mash garlic and salt to a paste. In a medium bowl combine sour cream, buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, and chives. Whisk in garlic-salt paste and Tabasco sauce. Taste, and adjust for seasoning with salt and lemon juice. Transfer to serving bowl. Arrange vegetables on a platter, and serve immediately.