Southwestern Chile Cheese Fondue Food

SOUTHWESTERN CHILE CHEESE FONDUE

Steps:

• 1. In large bowl, toss the Monterey Jack and cheddar with the cornstarch to coat.
• 2. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, til onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, chile peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, til most of the moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes. Pour in the light cream and cook, stirring til sauce just reaches a boil. Reduce heat to low.
• 3. Break cream cheese into small pieces and gradually stir into the hot chile tomato sauce til melted and smooth. Gradually stir in the shredded cheese mixture, letting each addition melt before adding more. Stir in the lime juice, cumin and cayenne. Taste, adding salt if needed.
• 4. Transfer to a fondue pot, preferably ceramic or enameled cast iron. Sprinkle the cilantro and scallions over the top and serve at once. Regulate the heat under pot if possible so that the cheese fondue remains warm, not hot.

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.

MEXICAN FONDUE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the corn, tomatoes, green chiles and chili powder. Stir in cheese. Pour mixture into a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. , Cover and cook on high until cheese is melted, 1-1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Serve warm with bread cubes.

SOUTHWESTERN CHILE-CHEESE FONDUE

Steps:

• Place garlic and beer in saucepan, and heat over low until simmering.
• Mix cornstarch with water, stirring to make paste, and stir into beer. Increase heat and cook beer until it boils and begins to thicken. Reduce heat to low. Add pumpkin seeds and cook 2 minutes.
• Add cheese and, using generous handfuls at a time, stir into beer until cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat until cheese is gone. Stir in green chiles.
• Transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot or crockpot. Keep fondue warm over alcohol burner or in crockpot over lowest setting. Serve with accompaniments.