Restraint is the essence of elegance to me: discretion versus being a chatterbox; the perfect single accessory instead of and abundance of adornment; it’s having the confidence to demonstrate simplicity when everyone else is making things complicated and pretentious. That is why I love serving crudite platters at dinner parties. Fresh, gorgeous vegetables, served simply. cutting radishes into roses only ruins the effect. Keeping the ingredients as whole as possible, and showing off the best of the season will create a centerpiece that’s ready to eat. I decided to push it one step further and moved the crudite appetizer into the first course as a salad. Drizzled with my favorite vintage buttermilk recipe (it’s based on a 1959 recipe from Elsie Masterton’s wonderful Blueberry Hill Cookbook), this plate is so pretty, so simple, and so good, I hope it will become one of your favorites too.
VEGETABLES TO SERVE RAW
cucumbers, cut into spears
cherry tomatoes, halved
radishes
celery, cut into smaller stalks
bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips
VEGETABLES TO BLANCH
carrots, small carrots just peeled, large carrots peeled and halved
broccoli, broken into small florets
cauliflower, broken into small florets
DIRECTIONS
To prepare the vegetables, boil a pot of water, add a handful of salt, and add the vegetables. Boil for 30 seconds (longer if you want them more tender, but only by 30 second increments) and immediately plunge into an ice bath. This immediately stops the cooking process and shocks the vegetables into having a vibrant, gorgeous color. Add the raw vegetables to the ice bath and hold until serving.
To serve, dry off the chilled vegetables and drizzle with buttermilk dressing. Enjoy!
DRESSING
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon, dill, parsley, chives or celery leaves,
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
pinch cayenne
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Combine in lidded container and shake.
