All the rich and decadent dishes steal the limelight during the holidays – the tenderloin roasts and cheeseballs, the cheesecakes and cookie platters. But we can’t go the entire month of December without consuming vegetables (can we??). If you’re having a party, or maybe just putting out a spread of munchies for your family or a few friends, it’s always a good idea to include a veggie dish. When everything else on the buffet is cheesy or meaty or sweet, a crudité platter is a welcome contrast – cold, crisp, refreshing and bright. Why not make it beautiful, too, and arrange your veggies into a simple and stunning Crudité Wreath.
To build the foundation for this Crudité Wreath, I started with a bed of fresh kale leaves. Then I used broccoli florets in large bunches for their deep green color and nubbly texture. A few florets of Romanescu here and there add a hit of brighter yellow-green. Green beans with their longer shape echo the sprays and sprigs that decorate evergreen wreaths – you could use other long, thin vegetables such as asparagus or sugar snap peas. And of course, clusters of grape tomatoes mimic holly berries, sparingly tucked in for decoration.
In the center, a zippy garlic-laced dip, speckled with fresh green herbs.
If you’ve been around this blog at all, you know that special-occasion menus and game plans are what Saturdays with Frank is all about. Early on John and I decided to make every Saturday night a special occasion, so just about every Saturday night, even when it’s just the two of us, I make an effort. Roughly once a month I document one of those menus – plus all the tips for timing and sequencing the preparation of all the dishes – in a blog post.
My intention for December was to share a menu for an appetizer buffet, with this Crudité Wreath as the centerpiece. It was going to be the kind of spread I would typically make if we were having a few friends over for an open house on a December Sunday afternoon, or what I might do on a smaller scale just for John and me for a stay-at-home New Years Eve.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the way the other dishes turned out – they show in some of these photos but they didn’t make the cut for publishing on the blog. So there is no menu or game plan for this month, just this one gorgeous dish. But that doesn’t mean I’m devoid of ideas for how to turn this Crudité Wreath into a party. I’d add a spiral sliced ham or a platter of cold cuts with rolls and condiments for make-your-own sandwiches, a cheeseboard, some homemade crackers (like these or these), definitely shrimp cocktail, and of course a big assortment of Christmas cookies.
And since there must be music, I’ve got a new Christmas playlist for you, a beautiful, mellow collection of guitar instrumentals. Listen to Christmas Guitar on Spotify, and while you’re over there I’ve got two other great Christmas playlists from years past – Silent Night (Jazz for Christmas) would also make a great soundtrack for a party, and Rest Ye Merry is a collection of can’t-miss Christmas classics.
Making this Crudité Wreath ahead and what to do with leftovers:
- The dip should be made at least an hour ahead in order to give the flavors time to blend, and can be made quite a bit ahead – it will keep for a week.
- The platter of veggies can be assembled early in the day. Cover it and keep it chilled until serving.
- Wrap any leftover veggies and keep them chilled for a couple of days to munch on with the dip. Or toss them in a sauté pan with olive oil and/or butter and cook them for a few additional minutes until crisp-tender, to serve as a side dish.
- Leftover dip can be turned into a terrific salad dressing by stirring in just enough buttermilk to loosen it.
Crudité Wreath
Blanching the broccoli and green beans takes the slightest edge off their raw crunchiness and sets their bright green color. But don’t blanch the Romanescu or you’ll leech out its color and turn it slightly mushy.
Ingredients
- 1 large broccoli crown (about 12 ounces)
- 4 ounces thin green beans (haricots verts)
- Kosher salt
- ½ a bunch of curly-leafed kale
- 1 cup small florets cut from a head of Romanescu broccoli
- 6 grape tomatoes
- Parsley sprigs
- Garlic and Herb Dip (recipe follows)
Directions
- Step 1 Cut the broccoli crown into small florets. Discard the stems or reserve them for another use. Trim the stem end off the green beans.
- Step 2 Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water is heating, fill a large bowl with ice water, and line two baking sheets with paper towels.
- Step 3 Add a large pinch of kosher salt and the broccoli florets to the water. Blanch the broccoli for 1 minute, then, working quickly, use a spider, sieve or large slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli to the ice water bath. As soon as the broccoli is cool, fish the florets out of the water and transfer them to one of the towel-lined sheets to dry.
- Step 4 Add the green beans to the boiling water and blanch for one minute, then shock in the ice water bath, drain, and transfer to the other towel-lined sheet to dry. Use more paper towel to gently blot the broccoli and beans to get them as dry as possible.
- Step 5 Set a small dish in the center of a large round platter for the dip. Arrange the kale leaves around the dish to fill in the platter in a solid layer. Arrange the broccoli over the kale in large bunches. Add Romanescu florets here and there for accents. Arrange the green beans in sprays extending outward from the center of the wreath. Add the grape tomatoes in clusters to look like berries. Fill in any gaps with parsley.
- Step 6 Spoon the dip into the bowl in the center of the platter.
Garlic and Herb Dip
If you have leftover dip, stir in a little buttermilk to thin it slightly for a terrific salad dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 small garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon Morton’s)
- 2 scallions, white and light green parts, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
Directions
- Step 1 Finely chop the garlic. Add the salt to the garlic on the cutting board and chop the salt and garlic together, then use the flat side of the knife to mash the garlic and salt into a paste. Transfer the garlic paste to a small bowl.
- Step 2 Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine thoroughly.
- Step 3 Chill one hour to blend the flavors, then taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
