Cheese fondue is a classic Swiss dish consisting of a mixture of cheeses, spices and usually alcohol. It is prepared according to different recipes, but it always turns out to be equally tender and aromatic. You can dip pieces of chopped baguette, vegetables, some fruits, ham or smoked sausages into the melted cheese.
Secrets of the perfect fondue
The Swiss argue that a good fondue cannot be made with just one type of cheese. For a perfect meal, you need at least two. You can experiment by mixing different cheeses in different proportions and getting new flavor nuances. Of the cheeses suitable for making fondue, the most famous are:
- classic Swiss cheese;
- fountain;
- emmentaler;
- cheddar;
- gruyere;
- monterey jack.
Liquid is added to cheeses without fail. Most often it is a wine that provides the proper acidity to keep the cheese from becoming "rubbery." Dry white wines such as Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc are well suited. Some people like to add natural apple cider to fondue, which also has a certain acidity. As another aromatic seasoning just before fondue. A little bit of strong alcohol is added - brandy, cognac, calvados, cherry liqueur. A little milk is poured into a non-alcoholic fondue, and the acidity is provided with lemon juice.
Another must-have for a good fondue is a thickener. It is usually corn starch, which, in principle, can be replaced with wheat flour.
Before melting the cheese, rub it so that it melts evenly. The fondue itself is melted initially on the stove, and a special burner only maintains the temperature of the finished dish. To get a perfectly smooth fondue, it is better to add the cheese to the pan gradually, rather than put it all at once. The finished fondue is poured into a special pot, which, according to tradition, is pre-rubbed with cloves of garlic.
Traditionally, Swiss fondue is served with diced French baguette, but you can try a more original flavor by dipping boiled or fried potato slices, boiled or smoked meat cubes, apple or grape slices into the cheese.
Cheese fondue recipe
For a fondue for 3-4 people, you will need:
- 225 grams of emmental;
- 225 grams of Gruyere;
- 300 ml of white wine;
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice;
- 1 teaspoon of cornstarch;
- 1 tablespoon kirsch;
- diced baguette.
Grate the cheeses on a medium grater. Bring the wine and lemon soy to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat and gradually add cheese, making sure to stir the dish all the time. Mix the kirsch cherry liqueur with the starch and add this mixture to the fondue. Wait, stirring, until the fondue is smooth and smooth. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with garlic, gently pour the cheese mixture and place the pot over the lit burner.
