BVC Eats: Hunter’s garlic dip

Look up my blog here about Hunter’s smoky egg dip for more about Hunter Spence. What a cook! I wink away a tear for all the amazing meals he made for the orphans of the Yale Drama School when they were stranded in New Haven during holidays.

This is a dip served warm for veggies, shrimp, or bread chunks.

6 whole heads of garlic, peeled, chopped, and smashed
2 cups heavy cream
1 2-oz can of anchovy filets with their oil
½ cup roasted, salted pecans, minced (optional)
½ t cinnamon
14 to 1/3 cup Spanish olive oil

Cook the garlic and cream together in a heavy pan for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Mash the anchovies and add them to the cream mixture. Cook 5 more minutes.

Stir in the pecans, the cinnamon, and olive oil until smooth and creamy.

This is actually a bowdlerized bagna cauda, with less intensity because no capers, and because the garlic is cooked a bit. It’s also much garlickier.