SIMPLE PIPED CRUDITES

Simple Piped Crudites image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 11

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1 bunch celery
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 dozen snow peas
3 medium radishes
1 seedless cucumber, peel on
3 heads endive
18 baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1 medium daikon, peeled and sliced crosswise, 1/4 inch thick
3 cups Flavored Cream Cheeses
Chives, for garnish
Mint leaves, for garnish

Steps:

Separate celery stalks, and wash thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler, peel away any tough, stringy fibers from the outside of each stalk. Cut each stalk into 4-inch-long pieces; set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Snip the tips off each pea pod, and place in boiling water. Blanch for 15 seconds. Drain, and immediately rinse under cold water.
Slice radishes into 1/8-inch-thick rounds; set aside. Working with a channel knife, cut about 6 parallel, evenly spaced grooves down the length of the cucumber. Slice cucumber crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; set aside. Using the channel knife, slice about 8 parallel evenly spaced grooves down length of daikon. Slice into 1/4-inch rounds and set aside.
Slice the carrots in half lengthwise and set aside. Just before piping, separate endive, and trim ends.
Arrange vegetables on large platters. Spoon the cream cheese into a pastry bag fitted with a pastry tip or a freezer bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe cream cheese onto each vegetable. Garnish with chives and mint leaves.