A crudite platter is welcome at any party. Make your holiday gathering even more festive by constructing a fully decorated veggie Christmas tree.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 45 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings |
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus 1 teaspoon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- Kosher salt
- 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 small head cauliflower, broken into florets
- One 2-inch piece English cucumber, plus half-moon slices for decoration
- 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into strips and star shapes with a small star cutter
- Grape tomatoes, for serving
Instructions
- For the dip: Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, lemon zest, granulated garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of black pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well combined and smooth. Transfer the dip to a medium bowl and fold in the chives and parsley. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and blanch until bright green and crisp tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a strainer to the ice bath. Repeat with the cauliflower. Drain the vegetables well and pat them very dry.
- To build the tree, make a triangle of broccoli florets in the center of a serving platter. Place the cucumber piece, skin side up, at the base of the tree as a stump and scatter the cauliflower on either side. Decorate the tree with tomatoes, cucumber slices and pepper strips and stars, leaving one star for the top.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 138 |
| Total Fat | 10 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 11 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Cholesterol | 28 mg |
| Sodium | 454 mg |
Reviews
My sister had asked me to take a veggie platter to her house for Christmas. Being one that has to do as much as possible over the top and addicted to Food Network, i had to make this. I do not like horseradish at all. I added one tablespoon of horseradish sauce and everyone thought it was really good!