January is a great month to enjoy fondue, a wintertime treat that works well for small and large gatherings, for singles and families. Fondue is a versatile meal because type and quantities can be easily adjusted to fit the participants. And, fondue is a participant-friendly meal for all ages. Here’s a recipe for swiss cheese fondue that can be used for dunking bread and raw vegetables.
Family-Style Swiss Cheese Fondue
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash white pepper
Dash nutmeg
2 1/2 cups milk (scalded, if in a hurry)
1 pound Swiss Cheese, shredded (approx. 4 cups)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1/3 cup dry white wine (or milk if preferred)
2 tablespoons kirsch (or milk if preferred)
French bread, cut in 1-inch cubes
Directions:
Melt butter or margarine in a ceramic fondue pot or another saucepan over direct heat. Stir in next 5 ingredients. Stir in milk; cook, stirring constantly until sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Lower heat. Add cheese, a small amount at a time and stir until cheese is melted after each addition. Stir in remaining ingredients except bread. To serve, let each guest spear a crust-edged cube of bread with a fondue fork and twirl bread in cheese mixture until coated. Drain, cool and eat.
Raw vegetable suggestions: Zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, carrots.
To add to the fondue meal, heat vegetable oil in a second fondue pot for cooking beef and mushrooms. Cut stew beef or steak into cubes and cook in the heated oil until done for personal preferences. Add mushrooms to the fork and cook with the beef if desired. Prepare sauces to accompany the beef, such as bernaise sauce or a favorite barbecue sauce.
Food safety reminder: Use separate plates to hold the uncooked beef and the cooked beef, and keep utensils that handle the uncooked meat separate from utensils that handle cooked meat (fondue forks that hold the cooking meat are excepted).
Enjoy!
