Seasonal Crudite Recipe

Wash and dry all vegetables and herbs. Peel baby carrots if needed. Trim radishes and cut in half. Halve mini peppers and remove seeds. Slice cucumber into 1/2-inch rounds. Trim sugar snap peas. Slice fennel thinly if using. Halve cherry tomatoes if large. Arrange radicchio or endive leaves separately to use as scoops.

Place petite herb sprigs in a small bowl of ice water for 10 minutes if you want them extra crisp; drain and pat dry before using as garnish on the platter.

Roast the eggplant

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) or prepare a hot grill. Pierce the eggplant in 3 places with a knife or fork to vent. Rub with 1 tsp olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast until the skin is charred and the flesh is very soft, 30–40 minutes, turning once. If using a grill, roast directly over medium-high heat, turning, until evenly charred and soft.

Let the roasted eggplant cool for 10 minutes, then split open and scoop the flesh into a fine-mesh sieve or colander. Allow to drain 10 minutes, pressing gently to remove excess liquid (this prevents watery baba ganoush).

Transfer drained eggplant flesh to a bowl or food processor. Add 2 tbs tahini, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 3/4 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Pulse or mash until a creamy, slightly textured consistency remains. Taste and adjust lemon, salt, or tahini as needed.

Spoon baba ganoush into a shallow serving bowl, drizzle with the reserved 1 tsp olive oil, and garnish with chopped parsley and a light dusting of smoked paprika or a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts if desired. Keep at room temperature while assembling the platter.

Soak 3 oz raw cashews in hot water for 20 minutes if not already soaked; drain. This softens them for a smooth texture.

Combine the drained cashews, 3 tbs water (or almond milk), 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp orange zest, 1/2 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a mini food processor or blender. Blend until very smooth, scraping down sides as needed. If too thick, add water 1 tsp at a time to reach a creamy, dip-like consistency.

Stir in 2 tbs chopped petite herbs (parsley, chives, dill) by hand to retain flecks of green. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or zest. Transfer to a serving bowl and chill briefly if you prefer a cooler dip.

Choose a large platter or wooden board. Place the baba ganoush bowl and the cashew citrus herb dip bowl spaced apart to allow vegetable arrangement.

Arrange vegetables in groups radiating from the dips: carrots, peppers, cucumber rounds, radishes, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, and fennel slices. Tuck radicchio or endive leaves near the dips to be used as cups.

Scatter a few petite herb sprigs over the vegetables for fragrance and visual height. Lightly drizzle 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil over the baba ganoush and vegetables if desired.

Finish with a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts or chopped pistachios over the baba ganoush and a couple of lemon wedges on the platter for squeezing. Serve immediately so vegetables remain crisp.