Want to make a special crudités platter? My friend created this adorable cauliflower dog to sit on her crudité platter for a party, and it was an instant hit! It looks like it took a lot of work, but she assured me it’s actually quite easy to assemble.
I loved the idea so much that I asked her to tell me how she did it. Here’s how she said you can make your own!
What You’ll Need
- 2 smaller sized heads of cauliflower or one large, preferably with a nice, rounded shape
- make into various sized cauliflower florets
- Black olives
- Toothpicks
- Baby carrots
- Red, orange, and yellow bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Any other colorful vegetables you like for the platter
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| The dog is held together with toothpicks |
How to Make A Cauliflower Dog
1. Start with the body.
Clean off the green and place one of the whole cauliflowers on a large platter or tray with the stem end toward the back. The natural shape of the cauliflower makes a wonderful fluffy-looking body.
2. Make the head.
Use another large cauliflower floret, to create the dog’s head. Position it toward the front of the body and secure it with toothpicks. The irregular, bumpy surface of the cauliflower is perfect for creating the look of curly fur.
3. Add the ears.
Use two small cauliflower florets for the ears. Place one on each side of the head and secure them with toothpicks. You can angle them slightly downward for a floppy-eared look.
4. Add the muzzle.
Use a smaller cauliflower floret or a cluster of florets for the dog’s snout. Attach it to the front of the head with toothpicks.
5. Give your dog a face.
This is where the personality comes in! Cut black olives in half and use them for the eyes and nose. In the photo, two whole black olives make the eyes and another olive makes the nose. A tiny piece of olive can even be used to create a little mouth.
6. Make the legs.
Use several cauliflower florets for the dog’s legs and paws. Arrange them underneath the body, securing them with toothpicks where needed. Don’t worry about making them perfectly symmetrical—the slightly goofy look is part of the charm!
7. Build the vegetable “grass.”
Surround your cauliflower dog with colorful vegetables. Broccoli makes a great green base, while baby carrots and strips of red, orange, and yellow peppers add lots of color. Cherry tomatoes tucked around the dog add even more bright spots.
A Few Tips
Choose a cauliflower that is large, compact, and relatively round. Don’t wash it until you’re ready to assemble the dog, and let it dry thoroughly so the vegetables and toothpicks stay in place.
The beauty of this project is that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Cauliflower florets are naturally irregular, so just play around with them until you see a face, ears, paws, and a body taking shape.
And don’t forget to tell your guests that there are toothpicks holding the dog together before anyone starts digging into the vegetable platter!
My Notes:
1. The cauliflower can be un-assembled by removing the toothpicks and then cooking them for a recipe.
What kind of art have you made out of vegetables?
