Bagna Cauda Recipe
Potato, Fennel, Radish, Celery, Lemon, Garlic, Chicory Sunflower, Badger Ricotta Flame Salata Beet
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Ingredients
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Vegetables & Dippers
Bagna Cauda (sauce)
Accompaniments & Garnish
Method
Vegetables & Dippers
- 1
Prepare potatoes
Scrub baby potatoes and place in a pot of cold salted water (about 1 tsp salt). Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until just tender when pierced, about 12–15 minutes depending on size. Drain and let cool slightly, then halve or leave whole if very small. Keep warm or at room temperature.
- 2
Prepare fennel
Trim the fennel stalks and fronds, remove any tough outer layers, then slice the bulb into 1/4-inch (6 mm) slices or wedges. If desired, reserve a few fronds for garnish.
- 3
Prepare radishes and celery
Trim radish tops and bottoms and halve or quarter depending on size. Trim celery and cut into 3–4 inch batons for dipping.
- 4
Prepare chicory and lemon
Separate chicory leaves and rinse gently, pat dry. Cut lemon in half; reserve half for garnish slices and squeeze juice for the sauce as directed.
Bagna Cauda (sauce)
- 5
Cook garlic gently
In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat, combine the olive oil and unsalted butter. Add the thinly sliced garlic and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the garlic becomes soft and translucent and just beginning to color at the edges, about 10–12 minutes. Keep heat low so garlic softens but does not brown aggressively.
- 6
Incorporate anchovies
Add the chopped anchovy fillets to the garlic-oil mixture. Continue cooking over low heat, mashing the anchovies into the oil with the back of a wooden spoon until they dissolve into the sauce, about 3–4 minutes. The sauce will become savory and slightly thickened.
- 7
Finish the sauce
Stir in black pepper and the lemon juice. Taste and add up to 2 tbsp hot water if the sauce seems too thick or strong; hot water will loosen and mellow it. Adjust seasoning with salt sparingly (anchovies add a lot of salt) and additional lemon if desired. Keep the sauce warm over the lowest heat; do not let it boil.
Accompaniments & Garnish
- 8
Prepare ricotta & beet
If using smoked or roasted beets for 'flame salata beet', fold the diced beets into the 1/2 cup ricotta along with a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper to make a simple beet ricotta. For 'badger ricotta', spoon the 1/4 cup creamy ricotta into a small ramekin to serve alongside.
- 9
Toast sunflower seeds
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sunflower seeds, stirring, until fragrant and just golden, about 2–3 minutes. Remove to cool.
- 10
Assemble and serve
Arrange the potatoes, fennel slices, radish halves, celery batons and chicory leaves on a large platter. Place the warm bagna cauda in a shallow bowl or small fondue-style pot in the center. Put the beet-ricotta and the ramekin of creamy ricotta on the platter with toasted sunflower seeds. Spoon or dollop small amounts of ricotta onto individual leaves or vegetables as desired. Garnish the platter with reserved fennel fronds and lemon slices. Serve immediately, dipping vegetables into the warm bagna cauda and finishing bites with ricotta or sunflower seeds to taste.