Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 head broccoflower, leaves and tough stems discarded

　　Coarse salt

　　1 loaf country bread, sliced 1 inch thick

　　Bagna Cauda (recipe follows)

　　

Bagna Cauda

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　3 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

　　1/2 3-ounce tin anchovy fillets, drained and roughly chopped

　　1/3 cup olive oil

　　1 tablespoon milk

　　(makes about 1 1/4 cups)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare an ice bath; set aside. Fill a stockpot with 1 inch water, and bring to a boil. Place the broccoflower in a steamer insert; sprinkle with salt. Cover tightly, and steam until just tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath; drain, and pat dry.

　　

Step 2

Arrange the slices of bread on a baking sheet; toast until the edges are brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn; toast until the edges of the other side are brown, about 3 minutes. Serve with bagna cauda and broccoflower.

　　

Bagna Cauda

Step 3

Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, and cook until softened but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the anchovies and oil, and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is softened and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.

　　

Step 4

Transfer the mixture to the jar of a blender, and add the milk; puree until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve, preferably overnight and up to 4 days.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.