Gary Townsend's recipe: Balsamic dip with rosemary salt bread

Ingredients:

Dip

• 1 tbsp Herbs De Provence
• 2 x fresh red chillies (deseeded to taste)
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 x garlic cloves finely chopped
• 2 tsp dried rosemary

Rosemary salt bread

• 1 tsp yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 475ml water
• 350g strong bread flour
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 tsp dried or fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter to coat

Method:

Thinly slice the chilies and finely dice the garlic.  Warm the honey and oil in a small dish or bowl and then add the rest of the ingredients and mix everything thoroughly.  Transfer to an airtight tub and leave for 2-3 hours or preferably overnight so the garlic and herbs infuse into the oil, balsamic and honey mix.

To make the bread, whisk together the flour, 1x tsp salt, sugar, yeast and 2 x tsp rosemary.  Make a well in the mix and add in the water and mix until it’s incorporated into the mix.  Cover the bowl and leave to rise at room temperature for up to 12 hours over overnight.

Line a tray with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 220 °C. Put about 60g of flour on a clean worksurface and empty the dough onto the work surface, turning it a few times to coat it with the flour. Kneed the dough for 2 minutes and divide it into 4 equal portions. Shape each one into a round ball, pulling the edges under each other and pinching together so you make a smooth ball with tight surface. Place the loaves onto the tray and brush each loaf with melted butter and sprinkle each one with the remaining rosemary and salt.

Leave the loaves for around 20 minutes before baking then bake for 20-28 minutes until nicely golden.  Leave to cool then serve with the delicious balsamic honey dip.

Gary Townsend is head chef at One Devonshire Gardens by Hotel du Vin, Glasgow. See www.hotelduvin.com or phone 0141 378 0385 to book.

Twitter @Chefgtownsend

Instagram- @chef.g.townsend