Intro to Pin Up Gastronomy: 101 (Bagna Cauda)

As is evident from the creation of this blog, I love food.

I could probably recount most every meal I have ever had for you in vigorous detail.

I have the outlet of cooking, sure, but maybe that isn't enough? I need MORE food interaction. I need some sort of thought systhesis process. That's all the intro you'll be getting.


BON APPETIT MAGAZINE:

I've recieved this magazine for several years now, and as often as I am attracted to the recipes in it, sometimes I feel like it isn't plausible to try them at home. I've attempted marking the pages of intriguing recipes, sure, but it never comes to fruition. So I decided to create a food diary (not that stupid, fruitless diet kind) for things I want to try and experiments I've finished.

It takes me about 2 hours to properly read Bon Appetit, and then I've taken to throwing them away. I know, I know- save the earth. You try saving the earth with two small kids!

At any rate, a few recipes had caught my eye, as usual, but I tossed it anyway. Whoa! Big mistake.
I seriously jolted awake just as I was taking the train to sleepy town- worried about forgetting which recipes I wanted to try!!

With resolve not usually implemented in a trash can full of dirty diapers, I extracted the magazine the next morning; here is what I've cut out for my food diary. I intend on including links when I can find them, just cause I love you!

- Grilled Calamari with White Bean Stew

- Artichokes with Bagna Cauda
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Artichokes-with-Bagna-Cauda-358232

- Sole Meuniere
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Classic-Sole-Meuniere-357949

Thus far, I've only made the Bagna Cauda. For you laymans (haha!) It means something along the lines of "Hot Bath" in Italian and is a dip made of 3 heads of garlic, 2 ounces of anchovies, butter, and olive oil. And yep, I did have all those things to whip it up on a whim last night, save for the artichokes. (What can I say, they don't last long in our house!)

  **One little chicken run: I have an uncommon love of anchovies. I discovered my romance with them in 2001, working at Fellini's Pizza in Atlanta Georgia. A woman ordered an Anchovy, Feta, Spinach, Onion, and Mushroom pie, and then returned it because it was too watery. First off, duh. Spinach and mushrooms are comprised of mostly water. Second off, duh. Too many toppings for a NY style pie! ....So we ate it. The sun rose (although it was 9 at night), an angelic choir started singing, and I'm pretty sure I had bluebirds tweeting around my head.**

The method was pretty interesting, because you separate the cloves without peeling them, then boil them for about 20 minutes to soften and mellow them out. Hey, hot baths mellow me out too!
After that, I put them into my trusty potato ricer, extracted all the garlicky deliciousness, and commenced to reheat the paste slowly with some olive oil.

I'll admit, we live in a very tightly budgeted house, but as I don't make a practice of buying crap food, I have stuff like this on hand. I LOOOOOOOOVE anchovies! The last tin I bought had so many annoying pin bones though, that recently I resolved to buy the prepared anchovy paste and save the hassle. It was a fraction more, but I found it delightful.

The paste had been emulsified with butter among other things, so I skipped the butter in the original recipe. I stirred in about 2 ounces with my garlic goo, and let it meld on low for about 20 or 30 minutes. In the mean time, I blanched a less than gorgeous cauliflower I had separated into florets in the cooking liquid from the garlic cloves.

All done, the moment of truth arrived!

(drumroll please!)

Meh.
That's what I had to say on the subject. Meh. My socks remained unrocked. I did like the dip better while it and the cauliflower were still warm though.

Don't get me wrong, when it comes to both the garlic and the anchovies, I will never be a hater. It was just Meh, whereas I wanted it to be LIFE-CHANGING! I mean, I woke myself worrying I had ruined my copy of the recipe for godsakes!

**Flash to this Morning**

I decided to give it another go. When doing my tenure at said pizza place for an unbelievable 5 1/2 years, I used to snack on fresh thick pizza crust with melted anchovies mixed into mayonnaise. I know many of you just gagged! :)

So, as 1 + 2 often does, it equaled 3; I mixed about 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise into my now cooled Bagna Cauda.

Ding Ding Ding!!!

Something about a little extra mellowing from the unctuous quality of the white nectar of the gods (mayo!) just put it over the top. I'll be the first to admit, time overnight in the fridge did help the garlic to sing it's lovely song.. just not enough. After this additon of mayo though, this Bagna Cauda graduated to WOWEE!

And that, my friends, is the Gastronaut's final word on hot fish baths!

XOXO
Your Pin Up Gastronaut
Voodoo Valentine