It may be winter, but your Purim will be bright and fresh with this display of fresh vegetables and dip. We used every green vegetable we could find. The subtle shades of green with different textures is appealing and will please adults and kids alike.
The only color other than green is the deep scarlet of radicchio. The radicchio will POP the shades of green. This is a stunning display and one your guests will actually eat.
Blanching vegetables does several things to them. It heightens the color and softens them a bit so they are more palatable. Using salted water adds flavor to the veggies. The boiling water traps the chlorophyll in the cells and shocking them keeps it there. This makes the veggies bright and brilliant green.
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Using a colander or sieve in the ice water makes it easier to drain them.
2. Blanch vegetables separately so you can display them separately and they each cook at different rates.
3. Blanch broccoli for about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Blanch green beans for about 3 minutes.
5. Blanch sugar snaps for about 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Blanching and shocking can be done 1 day before serving with all vegetables stored, covered in the refrigerator.
Be sure to toss the veggies with salt, pepper, and a little great quality evoo like Colavita. You want the veggies to taste delicious with or without dip.
Green Goddess Dip can be prepared several days before serving, but Crudités should be made the same day.
Green Goddess Dip and Crudités
Servings
Ingredients
Green Goddess Dip:
- 4 ripe avocados peeled and pitted
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cup chopped scallions
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Garnish: thinly sliced scallions chopped fresh dill
Crudités:
- 1 bunch celery reserve leaves, cut into attractive bias cut, about 2 inches long
- 6 English cucumbers peeled, seeded and cut into bias cut, about 2 inches long
- 8 medium zucchini cut into bias cut, about 2 inches long
- 2 large fennel bulbs cut into attractive bias cut, about 2 inches long
- 1½ pounds green beans stems cut off, blanched and shocked
- 1½ pounds sugar snap peas blanched and shocked
- 3 heads Belgian endive
- 3 heads baby romaine or romaine leaves with stems trimmed
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher or sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Garnish: celery leaves radicchio leaves
Instructions
Green Goddess Dip:
- Process avocados, garlic, scallions, dill, parsley, lemon juice, lime juice, and evoo in a food processor until a thick green puree results. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Dip can be made up to 2 days ahead before serving. Store dip, covered, in the refrigerator.
- Sprinkle with scallions and dill before serving.
Crudités:
- Toss vegetables with evoo and kosher or sea salt before arranging them in your display.
- Arrange vegetables on a large baking sheet. No one will the edges of the baking sheet once the lettuce leaves are on the sheet.
- Separate radicchio leaves and arrange them together to form a cup. Tuck the radicchio cup into the crudites and fill with Green Goddess Dip.
- Garnish with celery leaves.
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