BUFFALO CRUDITéS WITH BLUE CHEESE DIP

Buffalo Crudités With Blue Cheese Dip image

Doused in something spicy, crisp crudités can become habit-forming. Inspired by the Buffalo cucumber salad at Parm in New York, this recipe coats the traditional sidekicks to Buffalo chicken - celery, carrots and other raw vegetables - in the garlic-spiked hot sauce that is traditionally doused on wings. The result is finger food at its finest: crunchy, flavor-packed and begging for beer (and blue cheese). Buffalo chicken wings might be written off as a bar fixture, but they're a great example of contrasts: hot and cold, spicy and cooling, crisp and juicy. Like kimchi or chile-flecked melon, these crudités accentuate the play between spicy and fresh.

Provided by Ali Slagle

Categories quick, snack, dips and spreads, vegetables, appetizer

Time 10m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1 to 3 tablespoons milk or buttermilk, or to taste
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce, such as Frank's
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large garlic clove, grated
4 cups raw chopped vegetables, such as a mix of celery, carrots, cucumbers, radishes and snap peas

Steps:

Make the dip: In a small bowl, stir together the blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream and lemon juice. Thin with milk until spoonable. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. (Dip keeps for up to 4 days in the refrigerator; thin as needed with more milk.)
Just before serving, prepare the crudités: In a large bowl, stir together the hot sauce, olive oil and garlic until combined. Toss with vegetables until evenly coated. Serve with the dip.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 330, UnsaturatedFat 18 grams, Carbohydrate 10 grams, Fat 29 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 9 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 1133 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams