A colorful platter of crudités and dip is a sure crowd-pleaser for a party—or simply as a snack. As an alternative to lemon-thyme dip, serve the vegetables with the white-bean dip on page 51.

　　

Ingredients

Broccoli

Cut into large florets; steam until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 5 minutes.

　　

Brussels Sprouts

Trim stem ends; score with an X. Halve crosswise, and steam until bright green and tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

　　

Carrots

Peel; cut into 2-inch lengths, then halve or quarter if thick. Serve raw.

　　

Cauliflower

Cut into large florets; steam until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

　　

Celery

Trim base of stalks. Wash and dry; cut into 2-inch lengths. Serve raw.

　　

Endive

Trim stem end; separate leaves. Wash quickly and dry well. Serve raw.

　　

Fennel

Trim away fronds, stalks, and outermost layer; remove tough core, and cut bulb into 1/2-inch strips. Serve raw.

　　

New or Small Potatoes

Scrub and halve; steam until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

　　

Lemon-Thyme Dip

1 cup sour cream

　　1/2 cup mayonnaise

　　Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice)

　　1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

　　(makes 1 1/2 cups)

　　

PLAN AHEAD

Step 1

If serving crudités at a party, plan on 1/8 to 1/4 pound of vegetables for each guest. The selection shown here is a suggestion; feel free to vary the vegetables as desired and by season. Some vegetables (celery and carrots) can be served raw; others should be steamed.

　　

Prepare to Steam

Step 2

Set a steamer basket (or a colander) in a Dutch oven (or a pot with a lid). Fill with enough salted water to come just below basket, and bring to a boil. Prepare an ice-water bath; place a colander inside, over the ice. Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.

　　

steam vegetables

Step 3

Working with one kind at a time, steam vegetables, starting with the mildest-tasting and ending with the most pungent (this will keep potatoes, for example, from tasting like Brussels sprouts). Place vegetables in the basket; reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and steam as directed. Add water to pan as needed between batches to prevent scorching.

　　

cool and drain

Step 4

With tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to the colander in the ice-water bath to stop cooking (add ice as needed after each batch). Once completely cooled, transfer vegetables to paper towels to drain. Pat dry.

　　

Store

Step 5

Vegetables can be prepared up to 3 days ahead; wrap each type of vegetable separately in paper towels, then plastic (so flavors don’t mix), and refrigerate.

　　

Serve

Step 6

Arrange on a platter with dip alongside.

　　

Lemon-Thyme Dip

Step 7

In a bowl, stir to combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Dip can be refrigerated, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 3 days; transfer to a small dish and garnish with additional thyme just before serving.

　　Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Copyright © 2010 by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Martha Stewart Living magazine was first published in 1990. Over the years, more than two dozen books have been published by the magazine’s editors.Martha Stewart is the author of dozens of best-selling books on cooking, entertaining, gardening, weddings, and decorating. She is the host of The Martha Stewart Show, the successful daily syndicated television show.