Fondue. I used to eat this fairly often when I lived in Switzerland but now that I'm a poor American slumming it in a welfare hotel I can only occasionally afford to have it before the meal at a German restaurant. I got rather tired of that particular limitation. This recipe is based on this one I read in a local paper.
Prep time: about 10 mins.
Cooking time: about 15 mins.
Est. servings: about 4 - 6
Today's Specimen
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Swiss Gruyère cheese, grated
- ½ lb. Emmentaler cheese, grated
- ½ lb. Appenzeller cheese, grated
- 2½ cups dry Riesling
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup water
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 medium bulb shallot, cloves quartered and sliced thinly
Directions
- In a small pot on medium-low heat combine the flour and the butter until it forms a paste. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until the paste is thickened. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan or medium pot on medium temperature simmer the wine with the rosemary and shallot in it for 3 - 4 minutes.
- Strain the solids out of the wine and add the lemon juice and the roux (flour and butter), whisking it in and stirring constantly as it thickens the simmering wine, for about 3 - 4 minutes. Turn the temperature down to medium-low.
- Add the cheese to the wine mixture one handful at a time — adding the water when half of the cheese has been added — stirring constantly and not adding any more until the first handful is thoroughly melted and mixed in with the liquid. Once all the cheese has been added and the fondue begins to bubble, turn the temperature down to low and cook the fondue for 2 - 3 more minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour the fondue into a fondue pot or a small crock pot set on the warming setting (if available) and enjoy with cubes of any kind of bread you can think of or have on hand. I usually buy a fresh demi-baguette specifically for this purpose.
Next Time in the Lab
Damn, I could really taste the Riesling and shallot in this! The next time I make this I'll try using the corn starch instead of the roux and add some garlic and more fresh rosemary, and maybe a few peppercorns.
- Substitute 2 tbsp. corn starch for the roux (flour and butter).
- Reduce the shallot used to just one clove.
- Increase the fresh rosemary to four sprigs.
- Add a clove of garlic, coarsely mashed.
- Add 10 peppercorns.
- Try an off-dry Riesling instead.
