Delicious Cheese Fondue Recipe
Gruyère and Emmental are the two most commonly used cheeses when making a classic fondue, but Beaufort, Appenzeller, Hoch Ybrig, Tête de Moine, and Comté, which are all relatively low in moisture, also work fine and can be used according to your taste.
Originally, Fondue is a Swiss dish made of melted cheese and served in a communal pot also known as caquelon or fondue pot, over a portable stove called réchaud, and heated with a candle or spirit lamp. It’s eaten by dipping bread pieces into the cheese with the help of long-stemmed forks.
TIPS and TREATS:
- Most of the fondue recipes don’t call for cornstarch, but it helps to keep the cheese and wine from separating.
- When you’re almost done eating the fondue, try to leave a thin coating of the cheese on the bottom of the pot. Lower the flame and allow the coating to turn into a brownish crust. Then break it into pieces and share it with your family or guests.
YIELD/SERVES: 6
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound of Gruyère, coarsely grated (2 cups)
- 1/2 pound of Emmental cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
- 1 1/2 cups of dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons of kirsch (optional)
Instructions:
- Rub the inside of a 4 quart heavy pot with cut sides of garlic, then discard garlic. Over moderate heat add wine to the pot and bring it just to a simmer.
- Stir together the kirsch and cornstarch in a cup (if using these ingredients, otherwise you may use water or wine).
- Gradually add the cheese to pot and cook, stirring constantly in a zigzag pattern until the cheese is just melted and creamy. NOTE: don’t let boil and don’t stir in a circular motion to prevent the cheese from balling up.
- Stir the cornstarch mixture again and stir it into fondue. Bring the fondue to a simmer and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring it until thickened. Transfer to fondue pot set over a flame.
What to dip:
- Cubes of French bread
- Cubes of apple and pear
- Julienned raw red bell pepper
- Blanched broccoli florets
- Roasted potatoes
What to drink:
- Dry white wine such as dry Riesling or Sancerre
- German lager or Saison-style ale
- Farmhouse cider
- Fino Sherry
