Imperial Cheese Fondue Food

CHEESE FONDUE

Steps:

• Rub inside of a 4-quart heavy pot with cut sides of garlic, then discard garlic. Add wine to pot and bring just to a simmer over moderate heat.
• Stir together cornstarch and kirsch (if using; otherwise, use water or wine) in a cup.
• Gradually add cheese to pot and cook, stirring constantly in a zigzag pattern (not a circular motion) to prevent cheese from balling up, until cheese is just melted and creamy (do not let boil). Stir cornstarch mixture again and stir into fondue. Bring fondue to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to fondue pot set over a flame.
• What to dip:
• •Cubes of French bread
• •Cubes of apple and pear
• •Roasted potatoes
• •Julienned raw red bell pepper
• •Blanched broccoli florets
• What to drink:
• •Dry white wine such as dry Riesling or Sancerre
• •German lager or Saison-style ale
• •Farmhouse cider
• •Fino Sherry

CHEESE FONDUE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, coat the cheeses with cornstarch and set aside. Rub the inside of the ceramic fondue pot with the garlic, then discard.
• Over medium heat, add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a gentle simmer. Gradually stir the cheese into the simmering liquid. Melting the cheese gradually encourages a smooth fondue. Once smooth, stir in cherry brandy, mustard and nutmeg.
• Arrange an assortment of bite-sized dipping foods on a lazy Susan around fondue pot. Serve with chunks of French and pumpernickel breads. Some other suggestions are Granny Smith apples and blanched vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and asparagus. Spear with fondue forks or wooden skewers, dip, swirl and enjoy!

CLASSIC CHEESE FONDUE

Steps:

• Pour the wine and lemon juice into a heavy-based pan over a medium-low heat and warm until steaming. Add all of the cheese, a handful at a time, whisking between each addition until all the cheese has been added. Continue to stir for 4-5 mins until everything is fully melted, smooth and creamy. Mix the cornflour with the kirsch in a small bowl, then stir this into the cheese mixture. Continue to cook over a low heat for a minute more.
• Rub the garlic on the inside of the fondue pot, if you like, then carefully pour the cheese mixture into the pot and immediately place it over the flame. (If you don't have a fondue set, add the garlic along with the wine in step one, then remove and discard it before you add the kirsch mixture.) Serve immediately with crusty bread, boiled new potatoes, vegetable crudités or cornichons for dunking, if you like. You can place the fondue back over a low heat if you need to reheat it after serving.

EASY CHEESE FONDUE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the vinegar with the cornflour and place in a heatproof bowl with the cheeses. Set over a pan of boiling water. Slowly melt the cheese, stirring occasionally. When it's nearly melted, add the crème fraîche and a little black pepper, if you like. Lower the heat and keep warm.
• To make croutons, toss the bread in the oil and a little seasoning on a baking sheet, then bake for 10-15 mins until golden and crisp.
• To serve, put the cheese fondue on a large platter and arrange the croutons, veg and salamis alongside it.

IMPERIAL FONDUE

Steps:

• Prepare the chicken, seafood, vegetables, and tofu ahead of time, then refrigerate until needed.
• When ready to eat, arrange all the ingredients attractively on one or more platters and bring to the table.
• Arrange the noodles on a separate platter.
• Place sauce (s) of choice into suitabably sized bowls.
• Combine the dashi or chicken broth, soy sauce, sake or sherry and ginger, in some form of communal cookware that can be placed on the table, for example, an electric wok, stainless steel fondue pot, or Mongolian cooker, and bring to the boil.
• To cook, each person dips an ingredient of choice (except the noodles) into the broth, and when done to liking, dips their portion into a sauce and eats it with rice.
• The broth may need topping up, throughout the meal, to replenish the evaporating'fondue'.
• Traditionalists poach eggs in the broth after all the other ingredients are eaten, placing the cooked eggs over a final bowl of rice.
• Lastly, add the noodles to the remaining broth, cook until tender, then eat as soup.