Bagna Cauda (Warm Anchovy and Garlic Dip)
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and Food Network Kitchen.
A warm, golden dip of anchovies and mellow garlic melted into olive oil and butter, served with crisp raw vegetables and tender small potatoes.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Boil the potatoes. Cover the potatoes with cold unsalted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-18 minutes until a knife slides in easily. Drain and leave to cool slightly. Unsalted water is enough, because the anchovies bring all the salt this dish needs.
- 2
Prepare the platter. Arrange the fennel, red pepper, celery, radicchio and potatoes on a large platter. Crisp, cold vegetables contrast with the warm, rich dip.
- 3
Melt the anchovies. Put the olive oil, garlic and anchovies into the small saucepan over the lowest heat. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring and mashing with a wooden spoon, until the anchovies dissolve and the garlic is soft and mellow. Keep the oil barely shimmering: browned garlic turns bitter, while slow cooking tames its sharpness.
- 4
Whisk in the butter. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time, letting each melt before adding more, until the dip turns golden and lightly emulsified. Adding it gradually keeps the milk solids suspended rather than separating out.
- 5
Keep it warm. Pour into a fondue pot or warm dish and keep it warm over a low flame or a pan of hot water, stirring now and then. Serve straight away with the vegetables for dipping.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover dip covered for up to 3 days. Rewarm gently over low heat without boiling and whisk well before serving. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
EU nutrition claims
- Low sugars: 2.7 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 151 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0 g per serving
0 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- small heavy saucepan
- wooden spoon
- small whisk
- fondue pot, small flameproof dish or heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water
- medium saucepan
- large platter
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 309 kcal |
| Protein | 5.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 18.8 g |
| of which sugars | 4 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 24.6 g |
| of which saturates | 7.5 g |
| Fibre | 3.9 g |
| Salt | 1.53 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.7 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
