Fondue

[Carl]

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Takes: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

No nutritional information available.

Ingredients

- 800g - 1.2kg hard or semi-hard cheese (such as Gruyere, Emmental, etc.)
- 1 garlic clove
- 200ml dry white wine (such as Chardonnay, Pinot, Riesling or Viognier)
- 20g butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 50ml kirsch or brandy (optional)
- Ground nutmeg or other spices of your choice (optional)
- 300g - 400g bread, preferably sourdough, cut into 4cm - 5cm cubes and dried uncovered overnight

Method

1. Remove the rinds from the cheese(s). Cut into large dice or grate it through the large holes of a box grater if you want it to melt more quickly. Peel the garlic, cut in half lengthwise, and rub over the inside of a fondue pot (preferably made of enamelled cast iron, which retains heat well).

2. Warm the white wine in a small saucepan over a very low heat.

3. To make a roux, melt the butter in the fondue pot over a low heat. Do not let the butter brown. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk vigourously to combine. Continue to cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens and is bubbly and frothy, without letting it brown.

4. Pour the warm wine into the fondue pot with the roux over a low heat. Stir in a figure-eight pattern using a wooden spoon.

5. Add the cheese to the pot. Stir occasionally with the wooden spoon until the cheese has melted completely and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Take care not to overheat it as this can cause the cheese to seize up into clumps.

6. Season with pepper and stir in the kirsch or brandy, if using. You can also stir in a little ground nutmeg or other spices of your choice. Immediately transfer the fondue pot to its holder to keep it warm, without heating it excessively.

7. Serve with dried bread cubes and fondue forks for dipping.