Seasonal Crudités Platter
with jammy eggs, tarragon aioli & pistachio pistou
This dish was inspired by a crudités platter I ate at Camille in Borough Market earlier this year and have thought about ever since. It’s a brilliant example of how a few simple elements can turn a plate of vegetables into something that feels really special.
Fresh, seasonal vegetables are piled over a vibrant tarragon aioli, dressed with a sharp vinaigrette and finished with jammy eggs and a generous spoonful of pistachio pistou. It’s creamy, fresh, herby and full of texture, and makes a brilliant starter, lunch or centrepiece for a dinner party.
Serves 6 as a sharing platter, or 4 as a bigger starter
Tips & Tricks:
Seasonal veg: The vegetables listed are just a guide - choose what’s fresh, seasonal and looking good, and swap things in and out throughout the year.
Peeling the eggs: Gently roll them on the worktop to crack the shell all over, then peel them under the iced water. The water helps get underneath the membrane and makes the shell easier to remove cleanly.
Aioli: Take your time with it and add the herb oil slowly at first and only increase the flow once the emulsion has properly thickened.
Prep ahead: This is the perfect dinner party starter because absolutely eerything can be made in advance and just assembled a la minute! Keep the vegetables undressed until just before serving so they stay crisp.
Ingredients.
200-250g small new potatoes
4 large eggs
80g raddishes
150g carrots, mixed colours
80g baby cucumber
80g sugar snap peas
1 little gem lettuce
2 endives/chicory heads
200g cherry tomatoes, mixed colours
Tarragon Aioli:
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove
Squeeze of lemon juice
150ml neutral oil
50ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves
1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves
sea salt, to taste
Pistachio Pistou:
30g shelled pistachios
20g basil leaves
10g parsley leaves
1 garlic clove
100-120ml extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Vinaigrette:
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp finely diced shallot, approx 1/4 shallot
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp runny honey
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Equipment.
sharp knife and chopping board
food processor
whisk
saucepan
Method.
Make the aioli. Blend the herbs, garlic and oils together until vivid green and as smooth as possible. Add the egg yolk, Dijon mustard and lemon juice to a small bowl, then whisk in a small splash of the herb oil to start the emulsion. Once smooth and thickened, gradually whisk in the remaining herb oil in stages, making sure it is fully incorporated before adding more. Season with salt to taste. If the aioli becomes too thick, loosen with 1–2 tsp cold water.
Make the pistou. Add the pistachios, basil, parsley, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest and a pinch of salt to a food processor. Pulse until you have a looser-than-pesto consistency. Avoid blending it completely smooth - you want a little texture.
Make the vinaigrette. Finely dice the shallot and add it to a small bowl or jar with the remaining vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk or shake until fully combined.
Cook the potatoes and eggs. Place the new potatoes in a saucepan of well-salted cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for around 15–20 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Lower the eggs into the pan for the final 6½–7 minutes, then transfer them immediately to a bowl of iced water to cool completely. Drain the potatoes and leave them to steam-dry and cool in the pan.
Prepare the vegetables. Wash and prep the vegetables. Cut the carrots and cucumber lengthways into batons, separate the chicory and lettuce into leaves, and slice or quarter the tomatoes and radishes depending on their size. Leave the sugar snap peas whole. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them and add everything to a large mixing bowl.
Peel the eggs. Once completely cool, peel the eggs and quarter them carefully, keeping the yolks as intact as possible.
Assemble. Just before serving, toss the vegetables and potatoes with the vinaigrette. Spoon the herby aioli generously over the base of a large platter, then arrange the dressed vegetables and potatoes loosely over the top. Nestle the jammy eggs between the vegetables, then spoon the pistachio pistou generously over everything.
