I'm Very 'Fondue' of You
Calling all my lovers…Cheese lovers that is! (And chocolate too.) But fondue is hard. Or is it? I’m going to break down how to create a beautiful, delicious, and EASY three-course fondue dinner without breaking the bank. (Although I still love you, Melting Pot.)
As aforementioned, I love the Melting Pot. I probably go at least once a year. It’s a great restaurant for a high quality meal, some romantic ambiance, and most importantly, the experience. And more often than not, I am someone who will pay extra for the ease of convenience. But let’s be honest here, on any given day, a four-course meal at the Melting Pot could put you out $60 a person or $120 a couple, and that adds up fast. Fondue dinners at home, while still a little pricey (get the good quality ingredients, trust me), are still more affordable than a night out. Grab a partner to help you prep, and enjoy the experience. It’s easy, but since everything isn’t being served to you already prepared, it will still take time.
So, what makes a good fondue dinner? A traditional Melting Pot meal consists of cheese, salad, meat entrée, and chocolate (and wine included with some specials). I find that you don’t necessarily need the salad at home, but if you want it, go for it! For this meal, we are sticking with fondue-style cheese and chocolate, but grilling our meat. It’s more efficient and you can eat your meat all in one go. This is probably my least favorite course when dining in at the Melting Pot because it takes so long to get from table to mouth (that instant gratification culture, am I right?).
For the Cheese
This specific recipe is for a classic Swiss cheese fondue. If you read my other posts, you’ll know I’m not a huge chocolate person. But I love love love cheese. This is my favorite course and I would go to the Melting Pot just for this. (And just a little secret, I’m pretty sure you can get just cheese and chocolate from the Melting Pot for around $5 a serving, so in that case, totally worth it. But I digress.) My second love, aside from cheese, is cheese’s best friend, bread. Get yourself some high quality cheeses and a good crusty loaf of bread and you can’t go wrong. You can see why this would be my favorite course… They also say choosing a good white wine is important in terms of flavor; I don’t really notice a difference based on the wine I choose, but make sure it’s dry, such as a Sauvignon Blanc. Doesn’t have to be super expensive, but probably not the cheapest either.
Things you can dip: Veggies like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, baby potatoes (cooked), cherry tomatoes, and pickles; Fruits like apples, grapes, and pears; Bread like sourdough, rye and pumpernickel; and Cold cuts for an extra serving of meat.
For the Meat
For this meal, we are grilling steak. Marinate for one to two hours, grill, and serve. Easy peasy and you don’t have to wait 4 minutes between each bite for your next bite to be ready. It also cuts down on the number of fondue pots you need to have on hand or clean between courses. This is the pot we use and we love it. You can serve your meat course while you’re still picking at the cheese or with an additional side such as a baked potato or steamed vegetables.
For the Chocolate
If you take any extra steps in preparation, this is where I recommend you do it. You can microwave your chocolate if you really want to, but I highly recommend using a double boiler or a bain-marie. You have less of a risk of burning your chocolate. However, if you do decide to use the microwave, make sure you stir the chocolate every 15 to 30 seconds and remember that white chocolate burns faster than milk or dark.
Things you can dip: Fruits like apples, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, cherries, and orange slices, Sweets like marshmallows, graham crackers, pound cake or angel cake, rice krispies, wafers/cookies, and brownies; and Salts like pretzels, potato chips, crispy bacon, and Ritz crackers.
The total shopping bill for this meal was around $60 for 2 people. That’s half of the cost of a Melting Pot date. I already had some of the ingredients on hand so I didn’t need to buy everything, and I didn’t buy every dipper mentioned above. Pick 3 or 4 for each course and you should have a good variety. If you are starting from scratch for everything in the ingredients list, then this meal will cost a little more. We also had leftovers for both the cheese and chocolate, so keep that in mind as well.
Easy 3-Course Fondue Dinner
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* prep time: 30 minutes
* cook time: 30 minutes
* total time: 60 minutes
* servings: 2-6===========
Ingredients:
For the Meat
– 2-6 boneless rib-eye or New York strip steaks (about 12 ounces each)
– 1/2 cup vegetable oil
– 3/4 cup soy sauce
– 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
– 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
– 2 tbsp dry mustard
– 2 tsp salt
– 1 tbsp pepper
– 1 1/2 tsp parsley flakes
For the Cheese
– 1/3 pound firm alpine-style (such as gruyere)
– 1/3 pound fontina
– 1/3 pound gouda
– 2 tbsp cornstarch
– 1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
– 1 clove garlic, minced
– 1 tbsp lemon juice
– 1 tbsp brandy
– 1 tsp Dijon mustard
– 1/8 tsp nutmeg
For the Chocolate
– 1 pound chocolate melting wafers (milk, dark, or white.)
Other additions
– Peanut butter (we added 1/4 cup)
– Salted Caramel
– Bailey's
Assorted Fondue Dippers of choice===========
Instructions:
- Combine marinade ingredients. Add steaks and let marinate for 1-2 hours while you make and eat your cheese course.
- Grate all the cheese. In a medium bowl, combine cheeses with cornstarch, making sure to coat each piece.
- In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, bring wine, garlic, and lemon juice to a simmer. Stir in cheese a little at a time until smooth. (I usually make sure everything from the previous addition has melted completely before adding the next addition. This is important if you want a smooth fondue.)
- Stir in brandy, mustard, and nutmeg. Transfer fondue into your fondue pot and serve with fondue forks or wooden skewers.
- You can prepare your steak how you prefer; this is the way we did it. Preheat grill to 400-500°F (or high) and remove steaks from marinade.
- Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium. Alternatively, cook steaks in a cast iron skillet and spoon over garlic and thyme butter.
- Serve with sides of your choice, or enjoy with the rest of your cheese.
- For the chocolate, fill a large pot with a few inches of water. Place a heat-proof bowl on top. This should be large enough that it doesn't fall in.
- Place chocolate in the bowl and bring water to a simmer.
- Stir continuously until chocolate is completely melted. Steam will escape on the sides so be careful not to burn yourself.
- Remove from heat and add in any additional ingredients, stirring till smooth.
- Transfer to fondue pot and serve with fondue forks and dippers.
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Notes:
– Leftover fondue or tight schedule? Cheese fondue can be kept in the refrigerator. Just reheat over a double boiler, adding white wine to reach the correct consistency. Chocolate fondue can also be refrigerated and reheated.
– You could swap out one of the cheeses for cheddar and the wine for beer for a delicious beer cheese fondue.
– If you can, do your prep work before hand (cutting fruit, veggies, bread, grating cheese). This takes the majority of the time. Once your ingredients are prepped, bringing everything together is super quick and easy.
Original cheese recipe from Well Plated