Stimuli

Spoil your veggies with a little Bagna Cauda – which literally translates as "hot bath". We can’t think of a tastier treatment for your farmers market peak of the season carrots, green beans, fennel, cauliflower, snap peas & zucchini. This traditional Italian dip is a blend of good quality olive oil, butter, anchovies and garlic that will change the way you think about crudite.

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons best quality extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and grated with a microplane grater
A pinch of dried chilli flakes
12 anchovies preserved in olive oil, drained and roughly chopped
½  cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
Flat leaf parsley for garnish

Put the olive oil in a hot pan. When the oil starts to warm up, add the butter & garlic and turn the flame down. Add the anchovies, they will cook in the garlic oil until the garlic becomes brown and the anchovies dissolve. When the garlic starts to turn light brown, add the chilli flakes and then turn flame off.   Let the sauce sit until the chilli infuses the oil and the flavours have a chance to meld.  Transfer your sauce to fondue pot and finally add some minced fresh flat leaf parsley and serve warm with raw veggies & chunks of bread for dipping.  Pour yourself a glass of wine & get comfortable, this is a great way to start your evening.  PS – it’s ugly so don’t be alarmed, it’s supposed to look like that.

Submitted by Angie Quaale of Well Seasoned