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Bagna Cauda [BAHN-yah KOW-dah] - Specialty of Piedmont, Italy. Translated, it means "warm sauce” or “hot bath.” The ingredients suggest it is a country recipe, because all the ingredients are garden grown. Even the oil was probably produced on the farm. The exception is anchovies, which were widely used as a substitute for salt. I adapted this recipe from the Genova Restaurant in Portland, Oregon. This sauce is served in a pot, for everyone to dip the vegetables into. Serve it with chunks of crusty bread and your favorite raw vegetables. It's fun for a party appetizer no matter where you live.

Check out Linda's Appetizer Recipes for more great appetizer ideas.

Don't forget to check out my Honey-Glazed Ham Easter dinner menu and Prime Rib Dinner Menu which includes this great Creamy Bagna Caudu as a before dinner appetizer.

Creamy Bagna Cauda

Raw vegetables of your choice (see below)
2 cups heavy cream
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup butter
10 finely chopped flat anchovy filet packed in olive oil, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (1 pound) loaf crusty Italian or French bread, cut into 2" sections

Wash and prepare the vegetables several hours before using them. Cut vegetable into strips about 3 inches long and 1/2-inch wide. Place all the vegetables in ice water to crisp.

In a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, add cream and garlic; bring just to a boil, lower heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, approximately 15 minutes or until the cream has thickened and reduced by half. Remove from heat and let cool.

In another saucepan, melt the butter. Mash anchovies with a fork and add to butter, along with parsley and cayenne; cook until the anchovies dissolves into a paste, about 5 minutes. 

When cream has cooled, mash the garlic with a fork. Force the cream and garlic through a sieve into the butter mixture. Heat the sauce, stirring, but do not let it boil.

Serve in warming dish over candle (a fondue pot works well). If sauce begins to separate while standing, a few turns with a whisk will bring it back together. Sauce may be made ahead and kept refrigerated in covered jar. To re-warm, place jar in cold water in a pan and gently raise the heat until mixture is liquid again.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.
 

Suggested vegetables:
Red and yellow bell peppers
Carrot sticks
Celery sticks
Scallions (green onions)
Radishes
Cauliflower florets
Cucumber, peeled
Zucchini, peeled
Fennel bulb
Small whole mushrooms
Cherry tomatoes
Belgian endive