Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Gather 'round a pot...




Fabulous Fondue Party MyRecipes.com

Gather 'round a pot of delicious cheese or chocolate fondue for a fun retro party where guests do the cooking. ...



This delicous recipe is so simple that it doesn't require a degree from the Condon Bleu Cooking Academy!


Swiss Cheese Fondue

Cheese fondue is a fun and unique appetizer that's perfect for bringing friends together. This fondue recipe features Swiss and gruyère cheeses and is served with baguette cubes.




Beef Fondue

3 pounds filet of beef or boneless sirloin steak
1/2 pound butter (no substitute)
3/4 cup of good grade olive oil
+ Sauces for Dipping

Carefully trim off any fat or connective tissue from meat. Cut into 3/4 inch cubes; refrigerate. About 20 minutes before serving, heat butter and oil together in saucepan. When mixture bubbles, pour into a 2-quart fondue dish. The hot fat should not be more than 2 inches deep.

Place the pot on the stand and light canned heat under it. When fat begins to bubble, invite each guest to spear a cube of meat with fondue for or bamboo stick and lower it into the hot fat. Fry for 2 or 3 minutes, according to doneness preferred. Push meat off fork onto plates and spear another cube of meat to cook while you consue the one you just finished.

Guests may be provided individual dishes of several kinds of dipping sauces. One of my favorite dipping sauce for beef or chicken fondue is here:


Herb Green Dipping Sauce ****
(prepare ahead of time)

1 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp dried chervil (0ptional)
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup commercial sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste
Dash ground nutmeg

Crush tarragon, chervil, basil, parsley, and garlic with mortar and pestle or in a bowl, using a wooden spoon. Stir in sour cream with mayonnaise; add lemon juice, salt, and nutmeg. Check seasonings; serve as sauce for fondue or as a sala topping. Should be prepared the day before to allow flavors to blend. Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Source: Southern Living Party Cookbook, ISBN 72-85026, pages 252-253.








Form and Function: An Evolution of the Fondue Pots
The traditional container for holding fondue, called a caquelon, is a glazed ceramic pot with a thick handle. The squat, broad shape, as in this example from the Swiss company Landert, is designed so that the bottom and sides heat evenly, which helps prevent the cheese from scorching

1 comment:

fondue said...

I really think that fondue is a great bonding experience for families. Nothing can compare to a warm, fun, relax and delicious lunch or dinner with your loved ones. In my case I always follow it up with that delectable chocolate fondue. So, I'm not surprise if my kids suddenly go frantic once I announced fondue dinner! lol!