Rainbow Winter Dips Crudités Recipes

RAINBOW WINTER DIPS & CRUDITéS

Steps:

• To make the hummus, put the squash on a baking sheet and toss with the garlic, cumin, ground coriander, paprika and 1 tbsp oil. Roast at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 20 mins or until the squash is tender. Leave to cool. Put the squash in a food processor, add the garlic (squeezing the flesh out of the skins) along with the chickpeas and tahini, then blitz until smooth - loosen with 1 tbsp water if needed. Season. Mix the rest of the oil with the coriander seeds to drizzle over the hummus.
• To make the onion dip, put the shallots and spring onions in a roasting tin and drizzle with the oil. Roast at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 25-30 mins or until golden and soft. Leave to cool, then blitz in a food processor with the yogurt, garlic and half the chives until smooth. Season. Serve sprinkled with the remaining chives.
• For the beetroot dip, blitz everything in a food processor, except the yogurt and sesame seeds, until smooth. Swirl in the yogurt and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
• Serve the dips on a board with the veg crudités and breadsticks and crispbreads, if you like.

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.

CHRISTMAS CRUDITéS

Steps:

• Make the dip: Combine the parsley, sour cream, chives, tarragon, anchovies, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a blender and puree until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and gently stir in the mayonnaise. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Arrange red and green veggies on a platter. Serve with the dip.

WINTER CRUDITéS

Steps:

• PLAN AHEAD
• If serving crudités at a party, plan on 1/8 to 1/4 pound of vegetables for each guest. The selection shown here is a suggestion; feel free to vary the vegetables as desired and by season. Some vegetables (celery and carrots) can be served raw; others should be steamed.
• Prepare to Steam
• Set a steamer basket (or a colander) in a Dutch oven (or a pot with a lid). Fill with enough salted water to come just below basket, and bring to a boil. Prepare an ice-water bath; place a colander inside, over the ice. Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.
• steam vegetables
• Working with one kind at a time, steam vegetables, starting with the mildest-tasting and ending with the most pungent (this will keep potatoes, for example, from tasting like Brussels sprouts). Place vegetables in the basket; reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and steam as directed. Add water to pan as needed between batches to prevent scorching.
• cool and drain
• With tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to the colander in the ice-water bath to stop cooking (add ice as needed after each batch). Once completely cooled, transfer vegetables to paper towels to drain. Pat dry.
• Store
• Vegetables can be prepared up to 3 days ahead; wrap each type of vegetable separately in paper towels, then plastic (so flavors don't mix), and refrigerate.
• Serve
• Arrange on a platter with dip alongside.
• Lemon-Thyme Dip
• In a bowl, stir to combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Dip can be refrigerated, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 3 days; transfer to a small dish and garnish with additional thyme just before serving.

WINTER CRUDITES WITH WALNUT-GARLIC DIP

Steps:

• Cook potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Cool completely. Blend nuts, * cup oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano in processor 1/3 until almost smooth. Add potato, 1/3 cup oil and 2 tablespoons water. Using on/off turns, process just until potato is blended and mixture is creamy (do not over-process or mixture will become sticky).
• Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Mix in parsley. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve with vegetables.

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.

CURRY DIP FOR CRUDITES

Steps:

• Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, curry powder, Worcestershire, and white pepper together and serve.