Edamame Dip with Crudites

Ingredients

• 4 large carrots
• 3 celery ribs, strings removed with a vegetable peeler
• 1 seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped), halved lengthwise and cored
• 1 bunch radishes
• 1 lb fresh or frozen shelled edamame (soybeans; 3 cups)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Cut carrots, celery, and cucumber into 1/2-inch-wide sticks (2 1/2 inches long). Cut radishes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water and keep cut vegetables in ice water (to keep crisp) while making dip.
2. Cook edamame in 1 1/2 quarts boiling water with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a 3-quart heavy saucepan 3 minutes, then reserve 3/4 cup cooking liquid and drain edamame in a colander. Rinse under cold water until cool.
3. Dry saucepan and add garlic and 3 tablespoons oil, then cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Purée 2 cups edamame with garlic-oil mixture in a food processor until smooth. With motor running, add 1/2 cup reserved edamame-cooking liquid in a stream. Add remaining cup edamame, lime juice, sugar, pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining teaspoon salt and pulse until slightly lumpy. Add remaining 1/4 cup cooking liquid to thin if desired, then stir in cilantro.
5. Transfer dip to a serving dish and serve with vegetables, drained and patted dry, for dipping.