Crudités – Raw Vegetables with Dip

Whenever I serve appetizers I try to include crudités (raw vegetables) with dip. Vegetables are so beautiful and can serve as a centrepiece of an appetizer table. They are also nice on the table before dinner, allowing guests to munch on fresh vegetables while waiting for dinner. As a salad they can be very refreshing and make a beautiful salad plate for one or more. Try to use the unexpected. How about raw asparagus, sliced lengthwise, cucumbers slice into sticks, black radish, daikon, jicama, coloured carrots, baby squashes etc.

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Ingredients:

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Yellow cauliflower, separated into florets

Purple cauliflower, separated into florets

Baby zucchini, cut in half lengthwise

Baby carrots, cut in half, lengthwise

Round yellow squash, sliced in to rounds

Round green squash, sliced into rounds

Arrange all the cut vegetables on a platter, mixed or in groups according to type. Serve the dip in a bowl on the side.

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Dip:

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1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon honey

Juice of one lemon

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper

1/2 tablespoon crushed pink peppercorns

1/2 tablespoon crushed black peppercorn

1 tablespoon green peppercorn in brine, drained, rinsed and chopped

2 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Let rest 30 minutes before serving for  flavours to blend.

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