immediately.
Vegging Out
H ere’s a statistic I’d like to know: How many “crudités and dip” are served every day? This happy combination seems right for every occasion, from an after-work celebration to a fancy cocktail party. But while the assortment of vegetables may stay the same, the choice of dip sets the mood.
Most of the recipes in this chapter feature the flavorsand textures of roasted, pureed, and chopped vegetables. One of the advantages of vegetable-based dips is that most of them don’t contain ingredients (such as meat and eggs) that restrict the length of their “safe” serving time to two hours. Other recipes, such as Herb-Garlic Vinaigrette, Tahini-Carrot Dip, and Miso-Ginger Dip are perfect for serving with vegetables. Of course, the selection isn’t limited to the recipes in this chapter—many favorite dips are crossovers into this category.
Vegetables for Dipping
Crudités, by definition, means raw vegetables. However, some vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans) benefit from a quick boiling to brighten their color and soften their crunch. If you are parcooking a variety of vegetables, you don’t need to boil a pan of fresh water every time. Start with the vegetables with the mildest flavor (carrots) and work your way up to the more strongly flavored (broccoli and cauliflower). Certain other vegetables, such as potatoes, should be thoroughly cooked. In either case, wrap the vegetables in paper towels (to absorb excess moisture and keep them crisp) and store in the refrigerator in ziptight plastic bags.
When you’re in a hurry and want to reduce the time needed to cut up vegetables, stop by the salad bar in your market to see what’s displayed that could be dipped.
To arrange the crudités, place vegetables with contrasting colors and shapes next to each other to increase eye appeal.
Here are some serving suggestions for the most popular vegetables for dipping.
FRESH BABY ARTICHOKES These are a must for aïoli and bagna cauda. To trim baby artichokes, snap back all of the tough outer leaves until you reach the cone of pale, tender leaves. Using a small sharp knife, cut off the tip of the cone, about ½ inch from the top. Trim off all of the dark green skin from the base and the stem, if attached. Rub the cut surfaces all over with a lemon half, and drop into a bowl of water to which the juice of the other half of the lemon has been added.
To cook the artichokes, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high head. Drain the artichokes, add to the water, and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook until the artichokes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry. Wrap in paper towels and store in a ziptight bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Before serving, cut each artichoke in half lengthwise, if desired.
Thawed frozen artichoke hearts make great dippers. Rinse the artichokes well in a colander under cold water, drain, and pat completely dry with paper towels. Serve either artichoke with toothpicks to hold them during dipping.
ASPARAGUS Bend each asparagus spear to break off the thick end. Cook in a large saucepan of lightly salted water just until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus; do not overcook. Drain, rinse well under cold water, and drain again. Spread out the spears on paper towels and pat completely dry. Wrap infresh paper towels and refrigerate in ziptight plastic bags for up to 1 day.
BROCCOLI Cut broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. If you wish, peel the stems and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices (no need to peel the stems of the florets, as the skin is more tender). Cook in a large saucepan of lightly salted water just until the color brightens, about 1 minute; do not overcook. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain well, shaking the colander to remove as much water as possible. Spread on paper towels and
Vegging Out
H ere’s a statistic I’d like to know: How many “crudités and dip” are served every day? This happy combination seems right for every occasion, from an after-work celebration to a fancy cocktail party. But while the assortment of vegetables may stay the same, the choice of dip sets the mood.
Most of the recipes in this chapter feature the flavorsand textures of roasted, pureed, and chopped vegetables. One of the advantages of vegetable-based dips is that most of them don’t contain ingredients (such as meat and eggs) that restrict the length of their “safe” serving time to two hours. Other recipes, such as Herb-Garlic Vinaigrette, Tahini-Carrot Dip, and Miso-Ginger Dip are perfect for serving with vegetables. Of course, the selection isn’t limited to the recipes in this chapter—many favorite dips are crossovers into this category.
Vegetables for Dipping
Crudités, by definition, means raw vegetables. However, some vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans) benefit from a quick boiling to brighten their color and soften their crunch. If you are parcooking a variety of vegetables, you don’t need to boil a pan of fresh water every time. Start with the vegetables with the mildest flavor (carrots) and work your way up to the more strongly flavored (broccoli and cauliflower). Certain other vegetables, such as potatoes, should be thoroughly cooked. In either case, wrap the vegetables in paper towels (to absorb excess moisture and keep them crisp) and store in the refrigerator in ziptight plastic bags.
When you’re in a hurry and want to reduce the time needed to cut up vegetables, stop by the salad bar in your market to see what’s displayed that could be dipped.
To arrange the crudités, place vegetables with contrasting colors and shapes next to each other to increase eye appeal.
Here are some serving suggestions for the most popular vegetables for dipping.
FRESH BABY ARTICHOKES These are a must for aïoli and bagna cauda. To trim baby artichokes, snap back all of the tough outer leaves until you reach the cone of pale, tender leaves. Using a small sharp knife, cut off the tip of the cone, about ½ inch from the top. Trim off all of the dark green skin from the base and the stem, if attached. Rub the cut surfaces all over with a lemon half, and drop into a bowl of water to which the juice of the other half of the lemon has been added.
To cook the artichokes, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high head. Drain the artichokes, add to the water, and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook until the artichokes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry. Wrap in paper towels and store in a ziptight bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Before serving, cut each artichoke in half lengthwise, if desired.
Thawed frozen artichoke hearts make great dippers. Rinse the artichokes well in a colander under cold water, drain, and pat completely dry with paper towels. Serve either artichoke with toothpicks to hold them during dipping.
ASPARAGUS Bend each asparagus spear to break off the thick end. Cook in a large saucepan of lightly salted water just until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus; do not overcook. Drain, rinse well under cold water, and drain again. Spread out the spears on paper towels and pat completely dry. Wrap infresh paper towels and refrigerate in ziptight plastic bags for up to 1 day.
BROCCOLI Cut broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. If you wish, peel the stems and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices (no need to peel the stems of the florets, as the skin is more tender). Cook in a large saucepan of lightly salted water just until the color brightens, about 1 minute; do not overcook. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain well, shaking the colander to remove as much water as possible. Spread on paper towels and