When Matt and I got married we asked for, and received, a fondue pot. I really wanted one, but it's not the most practical gift. I can't say we've used it regularly over the years, but we broke it out for Christmas Eve dinner and had a wonderful cheese fondue.
Melty, tangy cheese on all manner of fruits, vegetables and bread is about the best meal there is. We watched Die Hard while enjoying our fondue, and it may just be a new Christmas Eve tradition!
I don't know what Matt enjoyed more, eating the fondue, or arranging the fruit, veggies and bread on the tray.
Here's the recipe for Fondue for Two. This is enough for a meal for two hungry people or an appetizer or snack for four. Double the recipe and add more hearty dippers like salami and pretzels to feed a crowd.
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove
1 cup dry white wine
250g Emmental cheese, shredded
250g Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon cornstarch
juice of half a lemon
black pepper to taste
Things to dip:
- slices of baguette
- pretzels or pretzel bread
- toasted bread cubes
- grapes
- apple slices
- chunks of salami or cooked sausage
- boiled mini potatoes
- blanched vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, etc.
Directions:
Cut the garlic clove in half and rub both halves all over the inside of the fondue pot.
Add the wine to the fondue pot and heat slowly until hot but not boiling.
Toss the cheeses with cornstarch. Over low heat, add the cheese slowly to the wine, stirring to melt after each addition. Don't let the mixture come to a boil, just keep it warm and stir until it becomes glossy and starts to thicken.
Add lemon juice and pepper.
The cheese may still be thin at this point, but it will thicken up as it sits.
If you have a proper fondue pot with a heating device, keep the cheese warm over the heat source while you eat, reducing the heat as the level of the cheese goes down as it's eaten. If you're using a regular pot, you can warm it up on the stove periodically if it gets too cool.
Use long forks to dip into the cheese. Be careful! It's hot!
Enjoy!
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