Bagna Cauda with Crudités
Bagna cauda—literally “hot bath” in Italian—traditionally made with olive oil, garlic and anchovies and served with crudités for dipping. In this delicious twist on the Italian classic, we add some walnut oil as well, which lends a nutty taste to the warm sauce. We’ve given suggestions for vegetables to serve with the savory dip, but feel free to substitute whatever is most colorful and looks best at the market. Slices of rustic country bread also make a great accompaniment.
Ingredients
For the crudités:
- Kosher salt
- 1 small bunch broccolini, trimmed
- 1/4 lb. (125 g) small new potatoes
- 1 bunch baby rainbow carrots, halved lengthwise if large
- 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
- 1 bunch French Breakfast radishes, trimmed
- 1 head Belgian endive, leaves separated
- 1/2 head purple or white cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
For the bagna cauda:
- 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) walnut oil
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 8 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
- 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) (2 oz./60 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions
To prepare the crudités, bring a saucepan three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Have ready a bowl of ice water.
Add the broccolini to the boiling water and blanch until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs or a skimmer, transfer the broccolini to the ice water until cool. Drain and pat dry. Add the potatoes to the boiling water, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Arrange the broccolini, potatoes, carrots, fennel, radishes, Belgian endive and cauliflower on a large platter. Set aside.
To make the bagna cauda, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the olive and walnut oils and heat until warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and anchovies and simmer for 5 minutes, using a whisk or wooden spoon to mash the anchovies until dissolved. Stir in the butter until melted.
Pour the bagna cauda into a small serving bowl. Serve warm alongside the crudités. Serves 6 to 8.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen