Bagna Cauda

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 anchovy fillets, chopped
• 6 large garlic cloves, chopped

• Assorted fresh vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 1-pound loaf crusty Italian or French bread, cut into 2-inch sections or sliced

·              Blend oil, butter, anchovies and garlic in processor until smooth. Transfer oil mixture to heavy medium saucepan. Cook over low heat 15 minutes, stirring, occasionally. (Sauce will separate.) Season with salt and pepper.

·         Pour sauce into fondue pot or other flameproof casserole. Set pot over alcohol burner or gas table burner to keep warm. Serve with vegetables and bread. 

          OK 

         Now lets get comfortable. I use slices of baguette to catch the drips from the veggies as we leave the Bagna Cauda in the center of the table and all dip our veggies and bread into the dip. I use a 5 inch cast iron skillet to cook and serve the dip, as the cast stays warm for a long time. For veggies we use Romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, broccoli, celery, bell peppers, cauliflower, celery, and whatever else we have in the fridge.  

II     I like to cook the blend of oil, butter, anchovies, and garlic until the garlic starts to soften. Then I pour it into a wide mouth jar and use an immersion blender to puree the mix and return it to the skillet. 

       When dipping,make sure you dip to the bottom and get into the paste in the bottom.