Vegetable Dip Starts Party Off Right : Presentation Key to Success of Light, Simple Appetizer

When giving a dinner party, I like to keep the hors d’oeuvres light and simple. If I’ve spent hours preparing a lovely meal, I don’t want my guests coming to the table already full. Fresh, crunchy vegetables and dips are often my choice and I make them more exciting by changing their presentation. With a minimum of effort, this can be both fun and creative for both the hostess and guests.

When you go to the market and see the display of lively fall vegetables, visualize them as containers for dips. Acorn squash, red, green and yellow peppers, eggplant, small pumpkins, red and green cabbage all look beautiful hollowed out and filled with tasty spreads or cut vegetables. Instead of using a platter, line a big wicker basket with leaves of lettuce or curly cabbage. Tuck hollowed-out vegetables among the greens.

Cauliflower and broccoli have such a lovely natural shape that I like to preserve it. I do this by taking a whole head of cauliflower, carefully cutting the florets off, and then reassembling them back into the base. Broccoli can be handled the same way. These make lovely additions to vegetable baskets along with the filled containers.

Sure to Bring Smiles

The most delightful way I’ve come up with of presenting vegetables is as a Harvest Vegetable Patch. It always brings smiles and assures that my party begins on a happy note. A fresh ear of corn on the cob makes a whimsical scarecrow protecting a garden of fresh cut vegetables. Matching seed packets interspersed throughout add that extra touch of fun.

The easiest, most decorative way of cutting vegetables is with a fluted or ruffled cutter. Known as a French fry cutter, these can be purchased at any market, but most specialty gourmet shops carry a larger version with a sharper blade.

Most vegetables can be cut one or two days ahead and stored in airtight plastic bags filled with ice water. The only vegetables that should not be stored in ice water are mushrooms, zucchini and cucumbers.

When I entertain a large group of people, my refrigerator never seems to be big enough. I discovered that an ice chest or cooler keeps the cut vegetables crisp up to two days.

HARVEST VEGETABLE PATCH

Carrots, peeled

Celery stalks

Radishes

Cauliflower florets

Broccoli florets

Turnip or jicama, peeled

Green onions

1 untrimmed ear corn

Whole cloves

String

Wooden bamboo skewers

1 potato

Wood picks

Parsley

Bacon-Almond Dip

2 hollowed out vegetables for containers

Vegetable seed packets

Cut carrots, celery, radishes, cauliflower, broccoli, turnip and green onions into dipping-size pieces. Place in bowl of ice water for at least 4 hours to crisp. (Vegetables may be refrigerated in ice water overnight.)

To make scarecrow, remove outside layers of husk from corn. Reserve husk and some silk for arms. From one side of corn, pull silk and husk down 3/4 of length of ear, leaving exposed corn to make face. At top third, insert 2 cloves for eyes and 4 or 5 cloves for smiling mouth. To make arm, place 2 or 3 leaves of husk on counter. Place some silk on husk, allowing some of it to hang out one end. Place wooden skewer down center, leaving some exposed to attach to corn ear. Tightly roll leaves together around skewer and tie with string. Repeat with second arm. Angle arms upward and insert skewers into each side of corn.

To stand scarecrow up, insert several wood picks into bottom of corn. Slice piece off bottom and top of potato so it lies flat. Attach scarecrow to potato with wood. Place on large platter. Cover potato with parsley. Place dips in vegetable containers of choice and arrange with cut vegetables around scarecrow. Decorate with seed packets as desired. Makes 8 servings.

Bacon-Almond Dip

1 pound bacon, chopped

2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese with chives, at room temperature

1 cup sour cream, about

3 tablespoons chili sauce

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Cook bacon in large skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

In food processor fitted with metal blade or in mixing bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, chili sauce, hot pepper sauce and pepper to taste. Add green onions, bacon and almonds and process or mix until blended but still chunky. If dip is too thick, thin with additional sour cream. Transfer to bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes about 2 cups.

Note: Dip may be refrigerated for 2 days or it may be frozen. Defrost in refrigerator.