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Three cups of buttermilk dressing with winter crudites in other cups.
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5 / 4 votes

Buttermilk Dressing with Winter Crudites

This buttermilk dressing with winter crudites, made with sour cream, dill, lemon, is a simple way to turn healthy raw vegetables into a stunning focal point at your next holiday dinner or cocktail party.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Calories: 101

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk (preferably full-fat)
  • 1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dill leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, preferably organic
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Assorted white or pale green crudites, such as celery stalks, hearts of romaine, white carrots, cucumber spears, jicama, blanched* cauliflower florets, blanched* white asparagus spears, and thinly sliced kohlrabi
US - Metric

Instructions

  • In a bowl, stir together the buttermilk, crème fraîche or sour cream, dill, lemon zest and juice, and cayenne. Season with salt and black pepper and then taste and adjust the other ingredients accordingly. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
  • Arrange the crudites in glasses or on a platter or several small plates. Refrigerate for up to several hours.
  • Just before serving, stir the buttermilk dressing until smooth and pour it into small dishes. Set out the crudites alongside the buttermilk dressing, whether you arrange them on a platter or stand them on end in glassware.

Notes

*How To Blanch Vegetables

When a recipe instructs you to blanch vegetables, it simply means to submerge them in boiling water long enough so that they become mostly tender yet still retain a slight crunch. The vegetables are then immediately transferred with tongs or a strainer to a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking and ensure the veggies remain vibrant in color. The amount of time it takes veggies to blanch depends on the specific ingredient but typically takes just a minute or less, so consider yourself warned to not walk away from the stove. This technique is particularly useful for hard vegetables destined for a crudites platter, including cauliflower, broccoli, and asparagus. Note that white asparagus is typically tougher than the green variety, so before blanching, it’s a good idea to peel the stalks, beginning about 2 inches below the tips and peeling toward the stem ends.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g