Porcini Swiss Fondue Food

PORCINI SWISS FONDUE

Steps:

• Heat marsala wine just to boiling pour over dried mushrooms in a small bowl, let set at least 1 hours.
• meanwhile toss fontina and swiss lightly with flour.
• rub a heavy enameled pot or fondue pot with garlic, pour in the white wine, heat over medium low heat until hot, add cheese tossed with flour, a hanful at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until each addition melts; then stir in pecorino.
• Drain the mushrooms, squeeze out as much liquid as possible, chop into fine pieces, stir into cheeze mixture along with 2 T. marsala, season with LOTS of fresh ground black pepper.
• Serve fondue with asorted breads and sausages for dipping.

SWISS CHEESE AND PORCINI FONDUE

Steps:

• Soak porcini mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups hot water until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Squeeze mushrooms dry. Chop.
• Mix Emmenthal and Gruyère cheese and cornstarch in large bowl. Combine 1 cup reserved mushroom soaking liquid, white wine and garlic in fondue pot or heavy medium saucepan. Simmer 2 minutes. Discard garlic. Adjust heat so that liquid barely simmers. Add cheese 1 handful at a time and stir until each addition melts before adding next.
• After all cheese is added, mix until smooth. Mix in mushrooms and 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme. Season with generous amount of pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool. Press plastic onto surface of fondue and refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate remaining mushroom soaking liquid. Before continuing, rewarm fondue over low heat, stirring frequently and adding reserved mushroom soaking liquid as necessary if fondue is too thick.) If not using fondue pot, transfer mixture to flameproof 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Set over alcohol burner or gas table burner and serve, allowing diners to skewer bread with fork and dip into cheese fondue.

SWISS BEER FONDUE

Steps:

• Combine cheeses and cornstarch in a bag. Shake to make sure cheese is coated with cornstarch.
• Rub inside of pot with garlic clove cut in half. Discard garlic.
• Pour in beer. Warm until bubbles rise to the surface. Do not cover or boil.
• Remember to stir constantly from now one. Add a handful of cheeses, keeping the heat medium (do not boil), when melted add another handful. After all the cheese is melted and bubbling add a dash of pepper sauce. Transfer to fondue pot and keep warm over fondue burner.
• Note: If fondue becomes too thick add a bit of warmed beer. If it separates combine 1 T cornstarch and 2 T wine and stir into fondue.