Chef notes
For Kardea Brown, Juneteenth starts with a crudités spread, and she ups the ante by grilling the vegetables instead of serving them raw, using a medley of red bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots and asparagus served alongside her smoked red pepper dip, a mix of feta, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and smoked paprika.
Special equipment: Outdoor grill or grill pan.
Ingredients
- 2 large red bell peppers
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
- 2 cups large button mushrooms, trimmed
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets and blanched
- 1 bunch carrots, peeled and cut into 4-inch by 1/2-inch sticks
- 8 ounces (1 cup) feta, drained and chopped
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Preparation
1.Preheat a grill to medium-high heat or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the peppers, turning occasionally, until the skin is charred and blistered all over, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a medium metal or glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the peppers steam for 10 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, place the asparagus, mushrooms and 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Grill the vegetables, flipping once, until they have lightly charred grill marks, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Arrange on a serving platter with the broccoli and carrots.
3.When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin, remove the seeds and coarsely chop the flesh. Transfer to a food processor, add the feta, yogurt, lemon juice, paprika and garlic, and pulse until a thick paste starts to form. With the motor running, stream in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until you have a smooth, thick dip. Adjust the seasoning, as needed. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and serve with the crudité.
