Sunday 31 January 2010

Mushroom Fondue

The craving for melted cheese overwhelmed me. I ordered a fondue pot. Now, most of the time I don't feel particularly connected to my Swiss heritage - I don't even back Roger Federer in the tennis (although good luck to him in the Australian Open today) - but it all came bubbling out while I was looking for a fondue pot. Non-stick aluminium? What is this fuckery? How can you possibly make a caquelon from non-stick aluminium? The cheese needs to stick and you need to scrape the brown crispy bits off with the fork, to take that away is to deny the essential nature of the fondue experience!

Anyway, I did find a good ceramic pot, just the right size for the two of us. And we set out to re-create the mushroom fondue we had in Geneva a couple of years ago. It went pretty well really!

Mushroom Fondue (serves 2)

2 cloves garlic
2 shot glasses of dry white wine
1 tbs porcini puree
125g gruyere, grated
125g emmenthal, grated
Handful of mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp cornflour, slaked in 2tbs white wine
Bread cubes and steamed broccolini, to serve

Bring the wine and garlic to a simmer, remove from heat and allow to infuse for a couple of hours. Just before serving whisk in the porcini puree and return the caquelon to a low heat (best done on the stove, easier than trying to regulate the heat of the fondue pot) and add the sliced mushrooms, then gradually add the cheeses, stirring until they have melted. Add the cornflour and stir until smooth. Place the caquelon of melted cheese over the lit burner, and dunk cubes of bread and steamed broccolini in it to eat it.

It can be very indigestible, so drinking wine with it, and a herb tisane afterwards is a good idea! Better for lunch than dinner too.

30 comments:

Dharm said...

Yay!! This looks like so much funa and delicious at the same time! Happy Belated Australia Day!

Bettina Douglas said...

Well Roger won! and the fondue looks yummy. I like the idea of porcini with the cheese.

I'm interested you did 50/50 with the cheeses. The proportions I recall were 80/20 gruyere / emmenthal - but of course our family always went 100% gruyere when using Swiss cheeses.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Dharm - thanks! I have to say that Australia Day pretty much passed me by this year.

Mother - proportions dictated by laziness. You can get 125g bags of ready grated...

James Brewer said...

Still can't believe I have NEVER had a fondue. I really need to pull my finger out and get that resolved. Looks and sounds amazing.

Arlene Delloro said...

Back in the fondue heyday, I had a collection of fondue sets. Sadly, they are all gone (garage sales ago)and as much as I'd love to, I will not buy another. I love cheese way too much, second only to bread, with wine a close third. Your mushroom fondue is drool worthy and recalls a long ago trip to Switzerland where I gorged on fondue and rosti. Thanks for the memories.

Alicia Foodycat said...

James - you've got to try one. Not a chocolate one, they are stupid.

Arlene - I try not to have them too often.

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

Delicious!!!

AND, as you know, you are an award winning blogger on many levels. But today you are an award winning blogger from me. I have stopped sending these out as much, but I really thought this one was fun, and you should be able to have a good time with it... or just be honored that I thought of you...

Stop by and see what I am talking about

Dave

http://yearonthegrill.blogspot.com/2010/01/spinach-mushroom-pecan-parmesan_31.html

grace said...

you're so right--the brown bits are by far the best part. i always save them for last, and if anyone else goes near them in the meantime, i get vicious. :)

Chef Aimee said...

Now that is a way to eat on a winter's night! Porcini puree? Mmm! The pot is very nice, btw!

Alicia Foodycat said...

Dave - thank you! That is very sweet.

Grace - oh yes, wars can be started over the brown crispy bits.

Aimee - that porcini puree is wonderful stuff.

kat said...

decadant!

Anonymous said...

I had never thought of dipping mushrooms in fondue before, but it is such a GREAT idea! I usually add some kirsch in mine too, I like fondue a bit booze-y... :-)

Alicia Foodycat said...

Kat - oh it was!

Joh - if I'd had some kirschwasser, I would have used it.

NKP said...

Oh my, it has been too long - I need to get out my fondue pot. This looks so delicious!

SKIP TO MALOU said...

Mushroom Fondue... sounds like that's what i need during these chilly winter nights!

Alicia Foodycat said...

Natashya - definitely time to rediscover it!

Malou - it really is heart-warming.

Sam said...

It's been a long long time since I last had fondue, i really love it though it's such a fun way to eat!

P.S. I did get some of the saucisson sec although I haven't tried it yet (they sent me a lot of food!). What do you use the chorizos for? I love chorizo but have no idea what to cook with it, i usually just eat it with bread!

Beatrice said...

I LOVE fondue -- and gruyere -- and mushrooms. Yum.

Heather said...

Yum! I love fondue, and mushrooms are one of the first veggies I enjoyed with it when I was a kid. Yum. I'm on this.

(I hate posting the "captcha" thingy, but this time it's 'caliste', which is a pretty thing.)

Alicia Foodycat said...

Sam - I think with your cycling you totally deserve regular fondue!

Beatrice - I know, aren't they great?

Heather - it's probably good for you at the moment, very nourishing and not requiring much thought!

Anonymous said...

Love the photo on your title bar!

I'm still afraid of fondue ... goes back to a trip to Switzerland where I couldn't read the menu and ordered an appetizer that was just a small version of my main course. Traumatic experience ... devastating, actually.

Choclette said...

Oh, I am sooo salivating now. I love fondue but haven't had it for years. Certainly never had mushroom fondue and I bet that is delicious. I lived in Switzerland for a while - bichermuesli, fondue and raclettes have lived on in my memory as great food.

Alicia Foodycat said...

12th man - that's amazing! So you had a little fondue followed by a big fondue? Fantastic.

Choclette - I have come around to birchermuesli, but I was never a fan when my grandmother made it.

hungryandfrozen said...

Oh gosh this looks amazingly luxurious. I wouldn't so much want to dip bread in it as wade in and bathe in it.

One of my prized posessions is an orange enamel fondue burner which belonged to my stepgrandmother, the fondue party we had with it a few years back is still remembered fondly. That caramelised, crispy cheese on the base is definitely essential.

Deb in Hawaii said...

Gorgeous--I love the mushroom and cheese combination--I think I need a ceramic fondue pot. ;-)

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Alicia Foodycat said...

Laura - this one is small, so it's only parties for two!

Deb - oh I think you do.

Evelyn - don't spam me. kthxbai.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

That must taste really good! Fondue is so much fun!

Cheers,

Rosa

Raaga said...

your wishes helped and Roger won!

I love this fondue... got to try it soon

Alicia Foodycat said...

Rosa - it was delicious!

Raaga, I hope you love it!

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