Smoked Gouda Fondue With Bacon And Almonds Food

SMOKED GOUDA AND BACON POTATOES

Steps:

• Remove papery outer skin from garlic (do not peel or separate cloves). Cut tops off of garlic bulbs. Brush with oil. Wrap each bulb in heavy-duty foil. Bake at 425°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until softened. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or just until tender. Cut bacon strips in half widthwise. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until partially cooked but not crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; keep warm. Place a tablespoonful of cheese on the cut side of a potato half. Wrap with a half-strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat. Sprinkle appetizers with pepper. Bake at 375°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until bacon is crisp. For sauce, squeeze softened garlic into a food processor. Add sour cream and cilantro; cover and process until blended. Serve with potatoes.

SMOKED GOUDA FONDUE WITH BACON AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Broil or fry the bacon until crisp. Drain, cool, and chop.
• Combine the cheeses in a bowl with the flour. Rub the inside of a small pot with the smashed garlic, then discard the garlic. Add the wine and lemon juice to the pot and bring up to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce the heat to simmer and add the cheese mixture in handfuls. Stir constantly in a figure-eight pattern with a wooden spoon, melting the cheese in batches. Transfer the fondue to a fondue pot and top with chopped bacon and smoked nuts.

GOUDA FONDUE

Steps:

• Combine wine and lemon juice in a small pot over medium heat. Toss together both cheeses and cornstarch in a large bowl. When the wine comes to a boil, slowly add the cheese and cornstarch mixture, whisking continuously until smooth. Season with nutmeg and cayenne. Transfer to a small slow cooker set to low and serve with the selection of dippers. Fondue should hold on low setting for up to 1 hour.

FUN-DU: SMOKED GOUDA FONDUE WITH BACON AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat 2 or 3 inches water in a medium frying pan until it boils then salt it and add the cauliflower. Cook 3 minutes, then remove from water with tongs or spider to a colander. Cool under cold running water. Trim asparagus of tough ends and add to salted water, cook 3 minutes, remove and cool in the same manner as the cauliflower. In a second skillet, while cauliflower and asparagus work, saute shallots and mushrooms together in 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over medium high heat until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add red wine vinegar to the pan and cook it out, 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Preheat broiler to high and a grill pan or large nonstick skillet to medium high. Drizzle sausage casing with extra-virgin olive oil and prick skin in a few places with the tines of a fork. Grill kielbasa on hot grill pan or in large nonstick skillet 6 to 8 minutes until casing is crisp. Remove sausage and cut in 2-inch chunks on a bias.
• While sausage cooks, pile veggies on a platter and add cornichons and chopped pears coated with 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Broil bacon on slotted pan until crisp. Drain, cool and chop. Make the fondue: combine cheeses in a bowl with flour. Rub the inside of a small pot with smashed garlic then discard. Add wine and remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice and bring up to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce the heat to simmer and add cheese in handfuls. Stir constantly, melting the cheese in batches. Stir in a figure-eight pattern with wooden spoon. Transfer the fondue to fondue pot and top with chopped bacon and smoked nuts.