fondue night!

The boys had another Fantasy Football draft, so my sister and I decided we'd test my new fondue set on a Melting Pot-style dinner. Not only was it a great time, but oh so yummy! Really, how can you go wrong with melted cheese and chocolate? The broth was good too, but we might skip it next time. The cheese and chocolate were filling enough! The cheese was by far the favorite. The others will need some tweaking next time. For instance, a couple of tablespoons of a berry liqueur, like Chambord, to the chocolate.

Sidenote: I prepared the broth before the cheese fondue and let it simmer on the stove until we were ready for it. That really worked out well. Cooking instructions will vary depending on your fondue pot. I can make the fondue right in my fondue pot (it has adjustable heat setting), but, it can also be prepared on the stove top and transferred to a fondue pot once all is melted.

Fiesta Cheese Fondue
(inspired by the Melting Pot)

Ingredients:
6 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz swiss cheese, grated
4 oz colby jack cheese, grated
2 cups beer
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
1 tablespoon taco seasoning

Instructions:
Combine cheddar, swiss, colby jack, and cornstarch in a bowl until cheese is coated with cornstarch. In saucepan or fondue pot, combine beer and minced chipotle, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and add cheese mixture by the handful, whisking until cheese is melted. Add the taco seasoning and mix well.

Serve with crusty bread (cut into cubes), green apples, vegetables, and tortilla chips.



Beef Broth Fondue
modified from recipezaar.com

Ingredients:
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup red wine (we used pinot noir)
2 cups water
1 package onion soup mix

Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients in your fondue pot, and simmer for 1 hour. When you are ready to start, bring the broth to a boil.

Serve with thinly sliced beef and chicken, raw shrimp and mushrooms. We also used ponzu sauce for dipping.



Basic Chocolate Fondue

8 oz heavy cream
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate (good chocolate! we used Hershey's and wished we hadn't)
Pinch of salt

Bring the cream to a boil, add the chocolate 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until smooth. Add the pinch of salt and enjoy!

Serve with strawberries, raspberries, sliced banana, pretzel rods, marshmallows, cake, graham crackers, cheesecake, etc. Anything that tastes good covered in chocolate is game. I even tried dipping a chocolate bar in the chocolate fondue. Lets just say I'd do it again!


Serves at least 4 - just adjust your bread, vegetables, meat, etc. accordingly.