Fruit And Vegetable Platter With Cilantro Crema Recipes

Steps:

• Cut a small seedless watermelon into 3-by-1/2-inch sticks. Mix 1 teaspoon chili powder with 1/2 teaspoon each ground coriander and cumin and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Sprinkle all over the watermelon. Stir 1/2 cup sour cream with the zest and juice of 1 lime and a pinch each of ground cumin and salt. Serve with the watermelon fries.

Steps:

• Scrub the beets to remove any residual dirt and trim the tops and tails but leave the skin on. Cut in half and place in a medium pot, then add water to cover by at least 1 inch. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer the beets until fully tender, testing by piercing to the center of the largest beet with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the beets, and while they are still warm to the touch, use your not-favorite kitchen towel to rub off the skins. Cut the beets into wedges, taking care to keep the like-colored beets together, but separate from the other colors.
• Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and honey in a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste and whisk again to combine. Add the Pickled Shallots and the beets and marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
• Dollop spoonfuls of the Charred Onion Crema on the bottom of a serving platter. Top with the beets, herbs and Harissa Breadcrumbs.
• Cut the shallot into 1/8-inch rings and place in a medium metal bowl. Separate the layered rings with your fingers and try to keep the rings as whole as possible.
• Combine the apple cider vinegar, beet juice, sugar, salt and a few turns of pepper in a small pot. Whisk the mixture and bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk one more time to make sure everything is fully combined. Remove the pot from the heat and pour over the prepared shallot rings. Stir the rings to make sure they are fully covered. Allow the shallots to cool naturally, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Cut the onion into 1/2-inch slices or wheels. Place the onion wheels in a dry cast-iron pan set over medium heat. Allow the onions to char deeply on one side, 10 to 15 minutes, then flip them over and char the other side, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the onions to cool slightly.
• Place the onions in the bowl of a high-powered blender and pulse a few times to break them up and release any remaining steam. Let the onions cool down for another few minutes, then add the crema to the blender. Blend the onions and crema, then season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Peel the outer crust off the boule. Cut the remaining bread into 1- to 2-inch cubes. Place the cubes in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you have small and consistent breadcrumbs.
• Pour the olive oil into a medium saute pan set over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the harissa paste. Whisk in the harissa paste until it is dispersed throughout the oil.
• Place the untoasted breadcrumbs in a large bowl and drizzle the garlic and harissa oil over the top, stirring and flipping the breadcrumbs to ensure even coverage.
• Lay the coated crumbs on a sheet tray and bake until crispy and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the toasted crumbs and scrape onto a paper-towel lined sheet tray to drain any excess oil. Season with salt while the crumbs are still warm.

Steps:

• Place seven 8-ounce plastic cups on a tray small enough to fit into your freezer.
• Combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and 2 cups water in a blender and blend until homogeneous. Taste the mixture for sweetness and adjust to taste; you may want to add up to an extra tablespoon of sugar.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared plastic cups, filling them to about 1/4 inch from the brim. Sprinkle each cup with a bit of ground cinnamon, if desired. Freeze until fully frozen, at least 8 hours. The limbers will keep in the freezer for up to a month.

Steps:

• Puree first 4 ingredients in processor. Place vegetables in large bowl. Add salsa mixture; toss to coat. Chill 2 hours.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Remove vegetables from bowl, reserving salsa verde in bottom of bowl. Transfer salsa verde to serving bowl. Grill vegetables until cooked through and nicely charred, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes for potatoes and onions, 14 minutes for peppers, 8 minutes for mushrooms, 6 minutes for zucchini and 5 minutes for asparagus. Arrange grilled vegetables on platter. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Serve, passing salsa verde separately.