I grew up in an age when one used a bread plate at every meal, even when the bread offered was white and squishy, Wonder bread. I received a lovely divided pickle dish as a wedding present 28+ years ago and I have an assortment of olive boats from the more recent trend of a couple years ago.
As often happens, the cosmic wheels click and actions, inquiries and ideas combine to give birth to a new trend or tendency. Such clicking has happen here...the return of the retro concept of a relish dish is now in appreciated at our table.
Just how did the wheels align to inspire such a not so new idea? Well, in the course of the past few weeks, I set to organizing cabinets, hit a huge writer's block for this and my other blog, was bitten by the redecorating bug which had me scouring my storage racks in the basement for pretty and or practical pieces and had more than one person ask me for advice in saving grocery money and or getting their children to eat better. Having found my pickle dishes, olive boats and cute little salt cellars, I was transported down memory lane to the days when my mother, in an effort to be chic, thrifty and carry on a tradition, resorted to relish trays on the table for company and holiday dinners.
Her selections usually included, leafy inner, celery stalks, crinkle cut carrot coins, radishes sculpted to look like flowers, black olives, gherkins and pickled onions. There was something rather civilized about eating celery sprinkled with salt from your own little salt dish that made the consuming of a rather mundane vegetable, a special treat. And...celery leaves are loaded with flavor!
The last legs of winter are making grocery shopping a bit of a drudge, root vegetables are about the only "fresh" and local selections available. With relish dishes and an olive boat or two in hand, I decided to start our evening repasts with an assortment of crudities, pickled whatevers and occasionally some charcuterie and cheese, this being a nod to our time in Paris and my husband's Italian heritage and all things antipasti!
I have been experimenting with pickling things...green beans become garlicky, chili pepper spiced selections along side oil cured herbed olives. Giardinera, a collection of blanched and pickled veggies that are spiced with Italian pepperonchini wake up taste buds at the start of the meal.
For fussier or younger palates, taking your standard crudities like carrots, broccoli and cauliflower are made more enticing by blanching quickly to slightly tenderize them. The addition of a dip....whether ranch dressing, good old California onion dip or the more exotic Greek yogurt based Tzatziki just may get kids to eat their budget loving vegetables.
The other advantage to serving up a money saving relish tray is by offering this "first" course, one fills up on high quality, fibre rich foods, allowing the rest of the meal's portions to shrink a bit...saving $$ and calories. Relish trays are a quick, economical way to add some old time pizzazz to your menu!
In developing menu plans, shopping lists and recipes for what I am hoping will become the relish tray rage, I have done some research in some vintage cookbooks, my old recipe boxes, filled with stained 3 x 5 cards and of course via the Internet information highway! Classics like Bagna Cauda, a hot, creamy garlic dip serves with crisp vegetables, marinated eggplant, three bean salad, stuffed cherry tomatoes, endive boats filled with shrimp salad, and even some fruit recipes like broiled grapefruit and gingered melon wedges, will take their seasonal place as the opening act to our dinners.
What's next...a soup course?...the fancy French verrine?...heck, I think I'm bringing back the bread plate sans Wonder bread, of course.
Retro Relish Tray 101: choose you favorite assortment of raw OR blanched vegetables and a dip
Below are my standards for a nightly relish dish:
Carrot sticks
Inner celery stalks, with leaves
Cucumber wheels
Whole radishes with tops and tips trimmed
Blanched broccoli and cauliflower florets
Black Olives
Cornichons
Serve your selections on a large platter and allow diners to place their selections on a small salad plate. I place about a half teaspoon of sea salt, freshly ground pepper and or seasoned salt (Like Crazy Jane's Mixed Up Salt).
For an assortment such as this, I use blue cheese dressing with extra blue cheese added for a dipping sauce.
If I am feeling really retro, I prepare my modern take of the classic California Onion Dip
Ingredients
1 - 1 1/2 cups sweet onion, sliced thinly
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, leaves
Pinch of salt
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup fat free sour cream
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp beef bouillon granules
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp fresh parsley minced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
Method
In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the onions, thyme and salt, cooking until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
Stir often to prevent over browning.
Remove from heat and spread the onions out evenly, allow to cool completely.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
Add in the cooled onions.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Stir again, before serving.
Serve with vegetables or as a topping for baked potatoes
Other relish tray suggestions:
- Steamed asparagus spears
- Spiced chick peas or other beans
- Bell pepper strips
- Pickled beets
- Roasted beets
- Marinated artichoke hearts
- Marinated mushrooms
- Bread sticks wrapped in ham, prosciutto or salami
- Cocktail onions
- Marinated or smoked cheeses
- Mozzarella balls
- trimmed green onions
- jicama strips
- blanched pea pods plain or stuffed with crab meat salad
- caponata
- caper berries
- You are only limited by your imagination and tastebuds!
Bon Appetit!
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