CREAMY BAGNA CAUDA

2 cups heavy cream
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup butter
10 finely chopped flat anchovy filet packed in olive oil, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (1 pound) loaf crusty Italian or French bread, cut into 2-inch sections

Wash and prepare the vegetables several hours before using them. Cut vegetable into strips about 3 inches long and 1/2-inch wide. Place all the vegetables in ice water to crisp.

In a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, add cream and garlic; bring just to a boil, lower heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, approximately 15 minutes or until the cream has thickened and reduced by half. Remove from heat and let cool.

In another saucepan, melt the butter. Mash anchovies with a fork and add to butter, along with parsley and cayenne; cook until the anchovies dissolves into a paste, about 5 minutes.

When cream has cooled, mash the garlic with a fork. Force the cream and garlic through a sieve into the butter mixture. Heat the sauce, stirring, but do not let it boil.

Serve in warming dish over candle (a fondue pot works well). If sauce begins to separate while standing, a few turns with a whisk will bring it back together. Sauce may be made ahead and kept refrigerated in covered jar. To re-warm, place jar in cold water in a pan and gently raise the heat until mixture is liquid again.

Dip vegetables into the bagna cauda (a fondue-style fork will help), holding a piece of bread under the vegetable after dipping. After dipping a few pieces, the bread will be fragrant with oil and delicious to eat.