Snack Plate
15 Minutes
〰️
15 Minutes 〰️
Ingredients
A selection of endives, separated into individual leaves
Zucchini flowers, gently cleaned
Baby carrots, tops trimmed but left long
Cucumber, cut into sticks
Radishes, halved or quartered depending on size
Olive oil, for drizzling
Zaatar, for sprinkling
Lemon juice, for drizzling
Salt, to taste
Your favorite dips (e.g., hummus, tzatziki, baba ganoush)
Fresh bread, for serving
Method
Prepare the Veg:
Endives: Separate the leaves, keeping them whole to use as a scoop or to add a crisp, slightly bitter counterpoint to the sweeter vegetables.
Zucchini Flowers: Gently open the flowers and check for insects. Remove the stamen from inside if present.
Baby Carrots: Trim the tops, leaving a bit of the green stems for a rustic look. Peel them.
Cucumber Sticks: Cut the cucumber into sticks, leaving the skin on for extra colour and texture.
Radishes: Halve or quarter the radishes to reveal their inner texture and to make them easy to eat.
Ice Bath for Freshness: This step isn’t always nessasary but its a good trick to have your sleeve if your veg isn’t super fresh. Before arranging, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Submerge the cut vegetables (except for the zucchini flowers) in the ice bath for several minutes. This will enhance their crispness and make them more refreshing. Dry them gently before arranging.
Arrange the Plate: Pick a large, beautiful dish to serve as the canvas for your vegetable arrangement. Begin arranging the vegetables from the outside in, creating a vibrant and appealing display. Consider contrasting colours and shapes for visual interest, this is the fun part, play around! Cut vegetables like baby carrots and radishes in half to showcase their cross-sections. Arrange the endive leaves and cucumber sticks artistically around the plate, these act as the structural support, then place the zucchini flowers gently among the other vegetables to prevent bruising.
Dress and Serve: Just before serving, drizzle the vegetables lightly with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with zaatar and salt. Serve the vegetable plate with a selection of your favourite dips in the center and fresh bread on the side.
Notes
This is not a recipe more just a fun way to present beautiful produce and feed hungry freinds or family easily! Use whatever vegetables you have available to you, look for different colours and shapes. An ice bath not only adds a crisp texture but also revives vegetables, making them look more vibrant.