Crudités

When you sit down for a meal in Lebanon they often bring out a massive bowl of fresh vegetables and the nicer the restaurant the larger the platter.  It’s a great way to start a meal and the bowls of vibrantly collared seasonal vegetables makes for an impressive start to a luncheon or dinner party.  I like to make a few (or more depending on the crowd) and place them throughout the table for people to pick at as the conversation starts to flow.

Ingredients 

• Green Goddess Dressing for dipping.  This should done roughly two hours in advance of using the dip.
• Head of romaine lettuce, washed and remain in full leaf form
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced in 1/4 pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced in 1/4 pieces
• 1 yellow zucchini, cut into 1/4 x 3 inch sticks
• 1 green zucchini, cut into 1/4 x 3 inch sticks
• 2 cups of whole sugar snap peas, blanched
• Cherry tomatoes
• 4-6 whole baby carrots with stem still on, peeled and blanched
• Kosher salt

Making It

• Wash all the vegetables and place in refrigerator to keep crips, this whole dish is about chilled freshness
• Blanch the snap peas and carrots:  boil a pot of water and fill a bowl with ice cubes and water.  Put the carrots in using tongs holing onto the tops, keep in for a minute and put in ice.  Do the same for the snap pease just remove them with a spider strainer
• Place all the crisp and chilled vegetables in a bowl and lightly drizzle a little olive oil then salt them to taste
• Arrange in a bowl and put the green goddess dressing in the center and serve