Bagna cauda sauce

Aromatic dipping sauce for seasonal vegetables and bread. Our version is made with cream for a mild flavor.

<Ingredients>

(6-8 servings)

1-2 heads garlic
3 anchovy fillets
200 cc olive oil
200-300 cc milk
Heavy cream


<Directions>
1.

Peel garlic, cut in half, and remove bud.

Chop anchovies.

2.

In a pot, put garlic and enough water to cover, bring to boil, and immediately drain.

3.

Put garlic in another pot, pour milk to cover, and simmer until tender.

Drain, and finely chop until almost a paste.

4.

In a pot, put 50cc olive oil and anchovies, and cook on medium until there is spattering sound. This is a sign that the fishy-smelling water in the anchovies is cooking off in the oil.

Reduce heat to low, put garlic, and add remaining oil little by little while whisking, making sure oil continues to bubble quietly.

The basic bagna cauda sauce is ready.

5.

Add the final touch with cream. Put some basic bagna cauda sauce in a small pot, and heat on low. Add heavy cream, up to half of the amount of basic bagna cauda sauce, and whisk to emulsify. It's ready to serve.

<Notes>

• Garlic buds tend to burn quickly and are thus removed.
• Boiling garlic in water first is to minimize the amount of milk needed to cook garlic.
• You can, of course, use a food processor or a mortar & pestle instead of chopping with a knife.
• Basic bagna cauda sauce keeps for one month in the fridge. When kept in the fridge, it solidifies and looks opaque: Don’t worry, this is natural, the sauce returns to a liquid olive oil green once warmed.