Fondue

One of my favorite New Year's Eve traditions is fondue. My sisters and I started it a few years back, and it is so fun to do with a crowd. We don't have a fondue pot, but if you're looking for one, I'd recommend this electric one from Target. I have found that the ones that use sterno fuel just don't work as well. When making fondue for my family, I just serve it in the saucepan that I made it in. This works well if you're serving it right away for a small group.

I make both a cheese and chocolate fondue and that's enough for us. In the past, we've also cooked meat and vegetables in bouillon as a middle course, but that works better if you have more people. The following recipes serve about 4 people. I've had good luck reheating these for leftovers too - the trick is to reheat slowly. If you use the microwave to reheat, you need to go 30-60 seconds at a time and be prepared to eat them right away.


Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. (3-4 C.) shredded swiss-style cheese (I use equal amounts of Gruyere and Emmentaler, purchased from the specialty case at the grocery store)
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 C. dry white wine (or substitute chicken broth)
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (about half a lemon)
• pinch of dry mustard and nutmeg

• Suggested dippers: chunks of fresh bread, sliced veggies (carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower), apple slices

Prepare all the dippers first as the fondue comes together quickly. Grate the cheese into a large bowl and toss with the cornstarch. Rub the bottom and sides of a medium saucepan (or fondue pot) with the garlic, then discard. Heat the wine (or broth) and lemon juice over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Turn down the heat to low and slowly add the cheese, stirring constantly to keep it smooth. Add the dry mustard and nutmeg and taste for seasoning. Serve immediately with the dippers. Use regular forks if you don't have fondue forks handy.

Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C. heavy cream (plus more for thinning, if necessary)
• 12 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips

• Suggested dippers: strawberries, sliced bananas, clementine segments, marshmallows, graham crackers

In a small saucepan (or fondue pot), heat the cream over low heat until just shimmering - do not boil it or you will scorch it. Remove the cream from the heat and slowly stir in the chocolate chips until melted. If the fondue seems too thick, add a little more cream until it reaches the desired consistency. If you want to bump up the flavor a bit, you can add a dash of orange liqueur (Grand Marnier or similar). Serve immediately with the dippers.