Roasted Vegetable 'Crudite' with Homemade Curried Aioli

I KNOW, I KNOW... Crudite means raw so this cannot technically be labeled as crudite. But you know what "Roasted Vegetable Platter" doesn't convey the same thing as the term crudite. Platter sounds like meal, crudite sounds like something you would DIP, which is what this is.

My friend Natalie and I used this recipe in our most recent collaborative class featuring healthy French recipes. Natalie is a health coach certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and an amazing source of healthy knowledge. One thing I love about her point of view is that she enourages the use of healthy fats. Here we're using a fruity olive oil to roast the vegetables, along with a more neutral grapeseed oil to form the aioli. This is not low-fat, this isn't diet food --- this is real food made from scratch with tons of flavor, healthy fats and chock-full of natural antioxidants, vitamins and minerals

This is just so much more interesting than a bunch of baby carrots and celery sticks with Hidden Valley Ranch. Those pre-made grocery store platters have given crudite a bad name. They really are just a way for people to feel slightly virtuous when planning their party. Of course, our version is a bit more work but you can roast the vegetables a day ahead and serve everything at room temperature. That way you can feel virtous while actually enjoying your vegetables.

You can continue that warm fuzzy feeling by taking a class with Natalie and I ... CLICK HERE for more info. If you fill out the little form there, we can get you on the schedule!

Recipe below!

Roasted Vegetable 'Crudite' with Curried Aioli

Roasted Vegetables

Olive oil (we recommend California Olive Ranch)

8 cups vegetables such as peeled beets, carrot, brussel sprouts, parsnips, potatoes, cauliflower or acorn squash

½ cup chopped parsley

Curried Aioli (recipe below)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Cut each vegetable into long pieces, except for brussels which should be but in half.

3. Working 1 vegetable at a time, place the vegetable in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with enough olive oil to lightly coat the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

4. Spread the vegetable out on the sheet pan in a even layer. It works best if you roast each vegetable separately, but you can do more than one per pan if you keep them separate.

5. Roast until beginning to soften and caramelize. Cooking times will vary according to the vegetable but start checking after 10 minutes, using a fork to check tenderness. Once cooked and cooled slighlty, toss each vegetable with the chopped parsley.

6. To serve, arrange the roasted vegetables on a platter alongside a small bowl of the aioli.

Curried Aioli

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Grapeseed Oil (about 1 cup)

1 tablespoon curry powder

Lemon juice

1. Place the egg yolk and dijon in a wide mixing bowl along with a pinch of salt. Whisk to combine.

2. Slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil, whisking continuously, until a thickened emulsion forms. You may not need all of the grapeseed oil.

3. Add the curry powder and a splash of lemon juice. Whisk to combine.

4. Season to taste with salt, pepper and more lemon juice as needed.

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