Light and Fresh Crudités with Easy Autumn Dips
When your guests arrive for the holiday feast, they’ll be looking for something to snack on, but you also don’t want to ruin their appetite for the meal to come. We’ve got you covered with these two dips paired with fall crudités. They’re light but satisfying, and, best of all, everything can be prepared in advance, so you’ll be all set when the doorbell rings. Feel free to vary the crudités based on whatever looks best at the farmers’ market.
Ingredients
For the goat cheese–buttermilk dip:
- 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) sour cream
- 2 oz. (60 g) fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) buttermilk
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbs. minced fresh chives
- 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
- Kosher salt
For the pepita hummus:
- 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) raw pepitas
- 1 Tbs. plus 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika, plus more for garnish
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 cans (each 15 oz./470 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
For the crudités:
- 1 bunch small carrots, trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
- 1 bunch radishes, halved lengthwise
- 2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and cut into 3-inch (7.5 - cm) pieces
- 1 small bunch broccolini, blanched until crisp-tender
Directions
To make the goat cheese–buttermilk dip, in a bowl, whisk together the sour cream and goat cheese until completely smooth. Add the buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives, garlic and 1/4 tsp. salt and whisk until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).
To make the pepita hummus, in a small bowl, toss together the pepitas, the 1 Tbs. olive oil, the paprika and chili powder, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread in a single layer. Roast until fragrant and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Set aside 1 Tbs. of the toasted pepitas for garnish. Transfer the remaining pepitas, chickpeas and garlic to a food processor and process until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) olive oil until incorporated. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
Transfer the dips to serving bowls. Drizzle the hummus with olive oil, garnish with the reserved pepitas and lightly sprinkle with paprika. Place on a platter. Arrange the carrots, fennel, radishes, celery and broccolini alongside and serve. Serves 8 to 10.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen
