Bagna cauda

Ingredients

• 6 very fresh firm garlic cloves, without any germ sprouting out of them
• 100 ml thin cream
• 85 g unsalted butter
• 12 anchovy fillets preserved in olive oil
• 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• seasonal vegetables, to serve (see Note)

Serves 4 as a starter or snack

Instructions

1. Prepare the raw and cooked vegetables for serving, then cut into portions that can be used to scoop up the sauce. Set aside on a serving platter.
2. Using a microplane, finely grate the garlic, or finely chop. Place the garlic and cream in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until the garlic is softened and the cream has thickened.
3. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it separates and has a slightly nutty flavour. Add anchovy fillets and use a spoon to break them up so they dissolve into the butter. Once the anchovies have been broken up, whisk the mixture into the still warm garlic cream. Finally, whisk in the olive oil until thick and emulsified.
4. Serve the sauce while still warm with the selection of raw and cooked vegetables for dipping.

Note

• Gather an assortment of seasonal vegetables raw and cooked, approximately 200 g per person. Try baby fennel bulbs, Dutch carrots, radishes, cauliflower florets, blanched asparagus, broccolini, witlof, radicchio, steamed chat or kipfler, potatoes, Roman beans, green beans, super fresh button or swiss brown, celery.

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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