Blanched Crudites

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus 
• 0.8 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 1 pound carrots sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes 
• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon optional: dill fresh minced
• 2 tablespoons parsley leaves fresh minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 0.5 cup mayonnaise 
• 2 heads radicchio thinly 
• 4  scallions white green minced
• 0.5 cup cup heavy whipping cream sour

Equipment

• bowl
• pot
• hand mixer
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Prepare a large pot of boiling salted water, and fill a large bowl with ice water.
2. Remove the tough bottoms of the asparagus stalks. If they are thick, peel the stems half-way up the stalk.
3. Add the carrots to the pot of boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Immediately remove the carrots with a slotted spoon and plunge them in the bowl of ice water.
4. Drain the carrots when fully cooled.
5. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Immediately remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the reserved bowl of ice water.
6. Drain the asparagus when fully cooled.
7. Slice the radicchio into wedges.
8. Arrange the carrots, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and radicchio on a platter and serve with the Herb Dip.
9. Place the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and blend.
10. Serve at room temperature.