Out of all the menu planning, food prep, and cooking I do, the one thing I enjoy the most is the presentation. It’s so easy to take simple ingredients and show them off.
Look around your home for interesting containers that tend to only be used for certain things or special occasions. Crudités (raw vegetables) are French appetizers and are served before a meal with a vinaigrette or dipping sauce. I chose to show off the crudités with blue cheese dip in Weck jars but you could just as easily use shooter glasses, tea light holders, miniature flower pots, small mason jars or hollow out chunky slices of a baguette, fill with dip and veggies . These individual servings allow you to munch and dip at your leisure without having to stand in line at the food table and is especially good for those who like to double-dip…you know who you are!
Blue Cheese Dip –
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
Crudités –
carrot sticks
sugar snap peas
celery sticks
red and yellow bell peppers, sliced
cucumber sticks
jicama sticks
green & yellow beans
zucchini sticks
endive leaves
asparagus
Blanch vegetables such as green beans, sugar snap peas and asparagus. To make the dip, combine all ingredients except blue cheese until smooth. Add cheese and mix. Fill container at least a quarter of the way and top with vegetables.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: The dip can be made up to 3 days in advance and the vegetables can be prepared and left in the refrigerator the day before. If you have any dip left over, use it on a salad or on top of a burger or steak. Cut the vegetables so that they stick above the rim of the jar. Assemble the jars and place in the refrigerator an hour or so before your company arrives. Enjoy!
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