This Summer Crudités recipe is a must-try for your next gathering.
As a chef, I believe veggie platters should have a natural, laid-back feel. Start by piling each vegetable on a platter, or use a regular dinner plate for a casual look, organizing them by color like a color wheel. Arrange carrots with the tops facing the same direction, letting them fall naturally onto the plate. This color-blocking technique offers symmetry, while the casual mounds evoke a garden-fresh appeal. When platters are overly neat, guests might hesitate to dig in; a touch of imperfection invites more enjoyment.
To prepare the crudités platter during the hot summer months, layer cherry tomatoes, dragon tongue or green beans, cucumbers, baby squash slices, and sweet peppers over ice to keep them cool and crisp.
A dear friend and talented chef shared this amazing dip recipe with me when my kids were young. It's so delicious, I could eat it straight from the bowl!
After mixing, store the dip in a mason jar in the fridge for about a week. This classic ranch serves beautifully as a dressing on salads or as a dip for veggies. While ranch is often associated with kids, it's a universally loved dressing. Serve it at your next dinner party, and your guests will be thrilled.
Tip: To dry herbs at home, simply pluck the leaves and spread them on a baking sheet in your oven at the lowest setting (180°F to 200°F) until they're dry, around one hour.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Categories
Crudités Platter
Ingredients
- Seasonal vegetables: cherry tomatoes, dragon tongue or green beans, cucumbers, baby squash slices, and sweet peppers
Instructions
- To create the crudités platter, arrange cherry tomatoes, dragon tongue or green beans, cucumbers, baby squash slices, and sweet peppers on ice. This will keep the vegetables refreshingly cool and crisp.
Classic Ranch Dip (yields about 2 cups)
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup mayonnaise (like Best Foods or Hellmann's)
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (from ½ lemon)
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- ? teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large jar and shake until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. (This can be prepared a week in advance; just refrigerate.)
Tip: To dry herbs at home, pluck the leaves and place them on a baking sheet in your oven at the lowest setting (180°F to 200°F) for about one hour.
