Bagna Cauda Piemontese — Warm Anchovy and Garlic Dip

Instructions

1. Peel the garlic cloves and place in a small saucepan. Cover with milk and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until the cloves are completely soft and their pungency is mellowed. Drain and discard the milk.
2. Using a fork or pestle, mash the poached garlic to a smooth paste.
3. In the same saucepan (or a traditional terracotta bagna cauda pot), combine the anchovy fillets with the olive oil over the lowest possible heat. Stir until the anchovies dissolve completely into the oil, 8–10 minutes — they should melt rather than fry.
4. Add the garlic paste and continue to cook on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until fully combined and fragrant. The sauce should be pourable but cohesive.
5. Add the cold butter cubes, one at a time, stirring constantly, until fully emulsified into a smooth, glossy dip.
6. Transfer the bagna cauda to a fondue pot or small flame-proof bowl set over a small candle or tea light to keep warm at the table.
7. Arrange all the prepared vegetables around the pot. Each diner dips their chosen vegetable and holds a piece of bread below it to catch drips. Replenish the dip from the pot as needed.

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