Best Blanched Crudites Recipes

Mixed-Bean Crudite with Cucumber Ranch Dressing image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound snow peas
1/4 pound sugar snap peas
1/4 pound wax beans
1/4 pound purple beans
1/4 pound haricots verts
1 medium cucumber, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1 lemon
3 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons each finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and fresh chives

Steps:

Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Add about a teaspoon of salt.
Snap off the ends of all the beans, leaving the tail on if desired
Cook beans and peas in separate batches, starting with the snow peas and ending with the haricots verts, just until color is brightened and they are crisp-tender. They should bend without snapping but not be at all limp, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into an ice-water bath.
Once beans have cooled completely, drain in a colander, shaking to remove as much excess water as possible. Spread them on a clean kitchen towel and gently pat away remaining moisture. Loosely wrap vegetables in the towel and chill for up to 2 hours.
To make dressing: Grate cucumber on the large holes of a box grater.
In medium bowl, mix together cucumber shallot, sour cream, buttermilk, and mayonnaise. Add fresh lemon juice, salt, parsley, chives, and cayenne pepper. Season with more salt and cayenne, if desired.
Arrange vegetables on a platter and serve with dressing for dipping.

Crudités with Lemon-Garlic Aïoli image

Provided by Lulu Powers

Yield Serves 20

Number Of Ingredients 18

For the Aïoli
1 cup mayonnaise
5 garlic cloves, put through a garlic press
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Crudités
1/2 lemon
3 cups button mushrooms, wiped clean with a paper towel
One 1-pound bag peeled baby carrots
2 bunches of radishes
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow bell peppers, sliced
1 bunch of asparagus
1 bag or box of cherry tomatoes
5 green or yellow zucchini
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (optional)

Steps:

1. Mix all the aïoli ingredients in a large bowl and season to taste. The aïoli will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
2. Rub a little lemon on the mushrooms to prevent them from turning brown.
3. You can make the platter up to a day ahead and store the vegetables in separate Ziploc bags. It's best to blanch the vegetables the morning of the party. (You can blanch the asparagus in boiling water with a teaspoon of baking soda, secured with a rubber band, for 30 seconds. Place the spears in an ice bath and drain-don't leave them in the ice bath or they'll get soggy.) Repeat with the zucchini, blanching it whole, cutting it on an angle to the desired thickness.
4. Arrange the veggies on a platter with a bowl of aïoli and scatter the herbs on top if you like.