Bagna Cauda

By lorik

This sauce should be served warm, so use a fondue pot or double boiler for serving. Serve with crudités-style vegetables (see related How to Cook for tips on preparing crudités) and either rustic pieces of bread or fresh breadsticks.

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 ounces anchovy fillets, drained (about 35 fillets)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Several cups cubed rustic bread or 12 to 24 fresh breadsticks

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place the heavy cream and anchovy ­fillets in a blender and blend until smooth, about 5 seconds. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil, garlic, and cayenne in a small saucepan over medium heat until the garlic is translucent, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the anchovy-cream mixture. Cook, stirring ­occasionally, until the mixture is slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm with the bread.