Crudité platters need to be brought back from the 1980’s graveyard! They should burst with seasonal veggies of gorgeous color and shapely form. After all, the veg platter does not need to be sanctioned only to carrots, celery, and cauliflower. Besides, it’s Spring! What a great time to eat raw veg!

Crudité with Confit Onion Dip from Pie Ranch

Pie Ranch crudité platter of gorgeous Spring Veggies and confit onion dip.

I like to do all sorts of dips depending on what’s available on the farm. Sometimes I make a spicy white bean dip or a spinach dip, but this time I was motivated by the last issue of Bon Apetít which highlighted an onion dip. As a kid I used to love that stuff. Remember that onion flavor packet you would add to sour cream instantly transforming it into an irresistable concoction? I remember ripping through whole bags of ruffled potato chips simply so I could shovel more onion dip into my mouth.

Crudité platter with Pie Ranch gorgeous produce

Crudité platter with Pie Ranch gorgeous produce

I made this onion dip in a similar fashion to making French onion soup: I sliced a 5 pound bag of  sweet yellow onions thin on a mandolin. Then I tossed the onions with olive oil to coat, fresh thyme, a tablespoon of sugar and a big 3-finger chef pinch of sea salt and let them cook down slowly (low heat) in a pot on the stove without stirring. When the bottom layer was nice and caramelized I gave them a stir and continued cooking until all was brown. Deglazing the pan with white wine, letting it cook off, and deglazing with more white wine is a must after the onion is caramelized. I used almost 1/2 bottle of dry white wine after deglazing 4 times and letting it reduce after each addition.

When the onion is confited, let it cool and then chop it up (mince) by hand. I’m a sour cream fan and if I wasn’t conscious of my healthy guests I would have only used sour cream for this. Instead I split the mixture with 4 cups of greek yogurt and 4 cups of sour cream. So yes, this makes a lot of dip! It will feed up to 55 people!

If I haven’t convinced you with my crudité platter that raw veg as an appetizer is the way to go. Check out some of these beautiful veg platters for inspiration from the Huffington Post!

 

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Spring Crudités with Confit Onion Dip

Ingredients

  • Confit Onion Dip:
  • 5# bag of sweet yellow onions (or Walla Walla)
  • 1/2 bunch fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Olive oil to coat, about 1/4 cup
  • 1/2 bottle (2 cups) dry white wine
  • 4 cups sour cream
  • 4 cups Greek yogurt
  • Crudités platter:
  • any seasonal veggies that look beautiful. I used:
  • fennel
  • watermelon radish
  • kholrabi
  • heirloom carrots
  • endive
  • french radish
  • cabbage for a dip container

I make this onion dip in a similar fashion to making French onion soup:

slice a 5 pound bag of  sweet yellow onions thin on a mandolin. Toss onions with olive oil to coat. Add: fresh thyme, a tablespoon of sugar and a big 3-finger chef pinch of sea salt and let them cook down slowly (low heat) in a pot on the stove without stirring.

When the bottom layer is nice and caramelized, give them a stir and continue cooking until all onions are brown. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of white wine letting it cook off, and deglazing with another 1/2 cup of white wine. Deglaze 4 time in all, letting it reduce to practically nothing after each addition.

When the onion is confited, let it cool and then chop it up (mince) by hand. MIx onions with 4 cups of greek yogurt and 4 cups of sour cream adding more salt to taste.

So yes, this makes a lot of dip! It will feed up to 55 people!

If you are dying for that old school onion dip flavor packet, add a teaspoon of onion powder