s/o New Year's thread -- share your foolproof fondue recipe

[Alessandra]

Last year, I got a nice fondue pot and made fondue -- Gruyere, Emmenthal, and Comte cheeses, plus lots of white wine and Kirsch. So winy that dc hated it, not to mention expensive (the Comte). So we have been eating fondue from a packaged mix.

 

I need a decent cheese fondue recipe!

[Sherry in OH]

1 package Trader Joe's Shredded Swiss and Gruyere Blend

1 cup dry white wine

 

Heat the wine (I don't own a fondue pot, so use a double boiler) until just boiling.  Turn down heat.  Add about 1/4 of the package of cheese and stir.  Add remaining cheese.  Cheese will be stringy at first, keep stirring until it smooths and blends with the wine.

 

 

[MrsMommy]

This fondue uses beer instead of wine, which makes it a little bit different and interesting...we love it!

[Cynful]

I prefer a cheddar cheese fondue and make it almost exactly like Melting Pot's - the kids all love it but have never liked the swiss ones.  

 

1 1/2 12oz bottles of beer (dark or lager) (don't worry alcohol cooks off mostly) (can do this with half-and-half if you'd rather)

1 TBsp worcestershire

2 tsp dry mustard (this is a must)

minced garlic to taste (we like a lot - I buy in the jar and put in a good TBsp or more)

1 lb. sharp cheddar (I buy pre-shredded in bag - if you want to do it yourself make sure to add a little flour)

1/2 lb. swiss cheese shredded

 

Put your beer in the fondue pot and turn it to warm or 300ish, let it warm up and start steaming.  After steaming for a while, add your garlic.  I usually add my dry mustard here too and whisk it around.  Then slowly start adding handfuls of cheese letting it melt.  Add worcestshire.  You can adjust anything to your taste.  Make sure if you don't use pre-shredded cheese to add about 3Tbsp of flour to your shreds - it makes the fondue smooth.  

 

We serve with pumpernickel, rye, french bread and, if I can find it, an herb bread.  Also, carrots, celery, broccoli, green apples, anything you want really.

 

Good luck,

[Rockhopper]

We've had a lot of fondue -- even in Switzerland and France. I've made several different fondues at home also. But about ten years ago, we discovered Rachel Ray's (unfortunately-titled) Fun-due recipe (which we subsequently re-named in our house), and we really like it by far the best:

 

Smoked Gouda Fondue with Bacon and Almonds – Rachel Ray, Food Network

 

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 pound asparagus

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, plus some for drizzling

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 pound white mushrooms*

Salt and black pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, eyeball it

1 1/2 pounds kielbasa

1 cup drained cornichons or baby Gherkin pickles

2 red pears

4 teaspoons lemon juice, divided

1 baguette, sliced

6 slices thick cut bacon

8 ounces Gruyere, shredded

1/3 pound, about 6 ounces, smoked Gouda, shredded

1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 large clove garlic, smashed away from skin

3/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped

 

* If you like, score the tops of a few of the larger mushrooms with a paring knife. It will dress up the serving platter when mushrooms are cooked.

 

 

Heat 2 or 3 inches water in a medium frying pan until it boils then salt it and add the cauliflower. Cook 3 minutes, then remove from water with tongs or spider to a colander. Cool under cold running water. Trim asparagus of tough ends and add to salted water, cook 3 minutes, remove and cool in the same manner as the cauliflower. In a second skillet, while cauliflower and asparagus work, saute shallots and mushrooms together in 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over medium high heat until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add red wine vinegar to the pan and cook it out, 1 minute. Remove from heat.

 

 

Preheat broiler to high and a grill pan or large nonstick skillet to medium high. Drizzle sausage casing with extra-virgin olive oil and prick skin in a few places with the tines of a fork. Grill kielbasa on hot grill pan or in large nonstick skillet 6 to 8 minutes until casing is crisp. Remove sausage and cut in 2-inch chunks on a bias.

 

 

While sausage cooks, pile veggies on a platter and add cornichons and chopped pears coated with 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Broil bacon on slotted pan until crisp. Drain, cool and chop.

 

Make the fondue: combine cheeses in a bowl with flour. Rub the inside of a small pot with smashed garlic then discard. Add wine and remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice and bring up to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce the heat to simmer and add cheese in handfuls. Stir constantly, melting the cheese in batches. Stir in a figure-eight pattern with wooden spoon.

 

Transfer the fondue to fondue pot and top with chopped bacon and smoked nuts. 

[Alessandra]

These all sound good. The cheddar-beer combo sounds a lot like Welsh rabbit (rarebit?), which my dc love.

[JanetC]

This one is obviously not authentic, but is very kid friendly.

 

1 c chicken broth

1 lg garlic clove

1 lb (4 c) grated swiss cheese

1/4 c flour

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup

 

Simmer broth and garlic in fondue pot or sauce pan to blend flavors.

Toss shredded cheese and flour together until cheese is coated.

Gradually blend cheese into broth until melted, stirring constantly.

Blend in undiluted soup.

Stir often until heated through and serve with your favorite things to dip.