Spring Vegetable Bagna Cauda Recipes

BAGNA CAUDA

Steps:

• Put the oil in a pan with the garlic and anchovies and cook over low heat, stirring, until you have a melted, muddy mess. Everything should begin to meld together. Whisk in 6 tablespoons of butter, and as soon as it has melted, remove from the heat and give a few more beats of your whisk so that everything is creamy and amalgamated. Taste, and if you feel you want this as a dipping sauce - which is meant to be pungent but not acrid. If you want the sauce a little more mellow, whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour into a dish that, ideally, fits over a flame so that it does not get cold at the table.
• Dip in the crudites and eat.

SPRING SALAD WITH BAGNA CAUDA DRESSING

Steps:

• Make the dressing: Chop the anchovies and garlic to a rough paste, or pound together in a mortar. Place in a small saucepan, add olive oil and simmer over medium heat, without browning, for 2 minutes, until anchovies have dissolved. Transfer to a small bowl and whisk in crème fraîche, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set aside to cool.
• Arrange all the vegetables artfully on a large platter and garnish with eggs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the dressing over the salad and serve. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.

BAGNA CAUDA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant and becomes golden, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the anchovies and the oil from the tin and continue to cook, stirring often, until the anchovies melt into the butter, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the sauce to a medium bowl. Serve with bread or raw vegetables on the side for dipping.