Create an attractive vegetable plate for your guests.
Vegetable plates are a tasty and healthy option for parties or gatherings. They are highly customizable and can be served with a variety of dips to please your guests' palates. Arrange the vegetable plate beautifully so the dish is also visually pleasing to your guests.
Instructions
1. Choose vegetables for the vegetable plate and include a variety of colors to add excitement to the dish. Include carrots, peppers, cauliflower and mushrooms, as well as green vegetables. Estimate the size of platter you will need, based on the number of guests you expect.
2. Wash vegetables thoroughly both before and after you chop them. Pay attention to the florets on broccoli and cauliflower. These contain areas that are difficult to wash. Rewashing the vegetables after you finish chopping them is a safety precaution and an important step when serving food to guests.
3. Chop vegetables consistently. It is not important that carrots and broccoli be cut in a similar fashion, but it is a good presentation method for all of the carrots to be cut similarly. Some vegetables, such as small tomatoes and pea pods, do not require chopping and can be served whole.
4. Arrange the vegetable plate artistically. Keep vegetables angled in the same direction, pointing toward the center of the platter. Group all like vegetables together -- all tomatoes in one area of the platter and all carrots grouped in another area of the platter. If you plan to serve dips on the same platter as the vegetables, leave room in the center of the platter for them. Otherwise fill the platter with vegetables and serve dips next to the platter.
5. Select dips that complement the tastes of your vegetable choices. Use multiple types of dip so your guests have choices. Vegetable dips span the range from spicy, rich buffalo sauces to thick, creamy sauces to light herb dips, such as Greek yogurt with dill. Rich dips tend to cover the taste of the vegetables while lighter sauces highlight the natural tastes of the vegetables.
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