Five years in the past, I used to be apprehensive that the pandemic had killed off fondue for ever. And, whereas it wasn’t my greatest concern again in February 2020, a world that couldn’t come collectively over molten cheese nonetheless appeared a bleak prospect. Clearly I wasn’t alone, as a result of Swiss public well being consultants had been later compelled to situation reassurance – fortunately, the one threat right here is overindulgence.
Prep 10 min
Cook dinner 15 min
Serves 4
320g emmental, or related (see step 1)
480g gruyère, or related
¼ reblochon (about 150g), or related
1 garlic clove, peeled and really finely chopped (see step 5)
300ml high-acid white wine (see step 6)
2 tsp kirsch (non-obligatory)
Nutmeg, to grate to style, or a pinch of cayenne pepper
Baguette, or stale bread, cubed, to serve
Boiled potatoes, to serve (non-obligatory)
Cornichons and pickled onions, to serve (non-obligatory)
Charcuterie, to serve (non-obligatory)
Inexperienced salad, to serve (non-obligatory)
1 A word on the cheese …
In the middle of testing this recipe, I went via quite a few totally different cheeses, and whereas the mix above is my favorite – emmental for its melting properties, gruyère for its nutty flavour and reblochon, now offered in some supermarkets and all good cheesemongers, for its creaminess – be happy to range it in response to availability and price range.
2 … and on the right combination of cheese
The one difficult factor about fondue, other than gluttony, is stopping it from splitting, which is extra seemingly in the event you use solely arduous cheeses equivalent to gruyere (or beaufort, comté or abondance) which have a low moisture content material. To make life simpler for your self, I’d counsel together with one thing youthful equivalent to emmental or edam within the combine, too.
3 … and on the creamy cheese
I additionally like so as to add a creamy cheese – taleggio, raclette, port salut, brie and even, dare I say it, cheese triangles are all choices, however you might favor to ring the adjustments with blue cheese, goat’s cheese or perhaps a flavoured cheese, or just use solely equal elements of gruyère and emmental in the event you favor.
4 Put together the cheese
Trim off and discard the rinds from the arduous cheeses (they’re not toxic, however they gained’t add something to the flavour of your fondue), then coarsely grate the cheeses. Please keep away from these tempting luggage of ready-grated cheese, although, as a result of their starchy, anti-clump coating will give your fondue an unpleasantly floury consistency. Reduce off and discard the pores and skin of the reblochon and chop the remainder into cubes.
5 A word on the garlic
Historically, a minimize garlic clove is wiped across the insides of the fondue pot, however as a result of I make mine in a pan and switch it to a bowl, I favor so as to add the garlic to the cheese combine (in the event you’re utilizing a bespoke fondue pot, nevertheless, you might want to revert to the previous means). Put the minced garlic in a deep, heavy-based saucepan.
6 Add the wine
Add the wine to the pot – conventional Swiss and Savoie whites aren’t that extensively stocked within the UK, so if want be go for a high-acid and pretty fruity various, as a result of, considerably counterintuitively, the acids within the wine will assist stabilise the emulsion of melted cheeses and assist to forestall them separating. Picpoul de pinet, riesling or muscadet are all good bets.
7 Now soften the cheese
Set the pan over a really low warmth (ideally, with a warmth diffuser beneath, in case you have one) and produce the wine to a simmer. Steadily add the emmental or melting cheese somewhat at a time, whisking or stirring vigorously and leaving it to soften absolutely earlier than including extra. Repeat with the gruyère, adopted by the reblochon. Hold stirring till the combo may be very clean.
8 Add the remaining flavourings
Stir within the kirsch, if utilizing (some recipes favor natural liqueurs equivalent to génépi), adopted by a superb grating of nutmeg, or a pinch of cayenne pepper, in the event you favor. Switch the cheese combine to a fondue set, a heatproof bowl set over tea lights or a sluggish cooker – something that may preserve the fondue heat and liquid for the time it takes you to eat it.
9 And, lastly, the accompaniments
At their easiest, cheese fondues are served merely with cubes of baguette or barely stale bread for dipping (a fork works effectively in the event you don’t have a fondue set), however I’d advocate additionally supplying small boiled potatoes (skin-on) and a number of cornichons and pickled onions, some charcuterie and a inexperienced salad alongside. Plus the remaining wine, naturally.
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