Bagna Càuda — The Warm Anchovy-Garlic Dip That Is the Whole Meal

Separate and peel all garlic cloves. Split each clove lengthwise and lift out the green germ — even a small one. Discard the germs.

Place the peeled garlic in a small heavy saucepan and cover with the olive oil. Set over the lowest possible heat. The oil should barely shimmer — no bubbles, no sizzle. Cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes until the garlic is completely soft, pale, and translucent. If it colors even slightly, your heat is too high.

While the garlic cooks, rinse the salt-packed anchovies under cold water to remove all salt. Pat dry with paper towels and separate into fillets, discarding any bones.

Once the garlic is fully soft, use a fork or wooden spoon to mash it gently in the oil until it forms a rough paste.

Add the anchovy fillets to the warm oil and garlic paste. Stir continuously over low heat for 8–10 minutes until the anchovies completely dissolve into the sauce. The finished sauce should be smooth and homogeneous — no visible flakes of fish.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted. Taste — it should need no added salt; the anchovies provide it.

While the sauce cooks, prepare the vegetables: cut fennel into wedges, peppers into strips, celery into batons. Tear radicchio into large dippable pieces.

If using cardoon: peel the stalks, cut into 8 cm pieces, and blanch in lightly salted boiling water for 5 minutes to remove bitterness. Drain and pat dry. If substituting endive, serve raw; if using cauliflower, blanch for 3 minutes.

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and halve. They serve as a warm starchy counterpoint to the raw vegetables.

Transfer the bagna cauda to a fujot (terracotta warmer) or small fondue pot set over a tea light. Arrange all vegetables and bread around it. To eat, hold a piece of bread under the vegetable as you dip — it catches the drips and soaks up the sauce. That piece of bread, eaten at the end, is called the soccorso.