Cheese Fondue

 

"Fondue, fondue I want fondue for my birthday dinner", cries my youngest.  How did this happen?  Every birthday dinner is now fondue and jousting fondue forks.  

It just so happens, I recently purchased Marianne Haltenbach's Cooking in Switzerland.  Gingham fabric covers this unique book and the previous owner has commented on many of the recipes.  For example,  Strubli, "This really tastes great!", Wine Toast, "heavenly..." and this one threw me off for a moment...Kid Ragout, "Good for company" until I made the connection of goat and kid.  My favorite cookbooks contain comments and adjustments made by previous owners.

Perfect crispy skinned roasted potatoes: preheat oven 400- wash and dry potatoes - place in clean plastic bag (from produce section of grocery store), add enough oil (a tablespoon or two) to coat and sprinkle with garlic powder and shake, shake , shake and bake.  I use my toaster oven.

Grated cheese

My fondue pot is enameled cast iron.

potatoes-carrots-broccoli-apple-pear

bread

Happy Birthday!

Cheese Fondue

from Marianne Haltenbach's Cooking in Switzerland

adapted

items to dip: bread, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, bread, potato, apple, pears...

12oz grated Gruyere cheese

12oz grated Emmentaler cheese

1 garlic clove

1 1/3 cup dry white wine

3t cornstarch

2T kirsch or vodka

freshly ground pepper

freshly ground nutmeg

~ prepare dipping items first

~ rub heavy saucepan or like me use fondue pot with the split garlic clove

~ dissolved the cornstarch in the kirsch or vodka

~ put the cheese and wine into the pan and very slowly bring to a boil STIR CONSTANTLY

~ it will take a very very very long time - the cheese will melt, clump and melt - just keep stirring

~ when the cheese is completely melted add the cornstarch mixture and stir vigourously

~ continue to cook

~ season with pepper and nutmeg to taste

~ place mixture into fondue pot or if cooked in fondue pot place on a heated burner set to low heat

Here is the link for the book on amazon...

 Cooking in Switzerland

Portobello Burgers with Red Pepper and Gorgonzola

YUM!  I made these before our invasion and they were so truly scrumptious I plan on making them again soon.  The kids liked them too...once they picked off the bell pepper.  

Fresh herbs a garden staple, we grow thyme, several types of basil, marjoram, oregano, sage, stevia, dill, fennel, rosemary, cilantro, chives, salad burnett, and more I can not think of right now.  I highly recommend growing herbs.  Although we grow our herbs outside, they are easily grown indoors.

 

 

Portobello Burgers with Red Pepper and Gorgonzola 

from Sara Moulton Cooks at Home

adapted

4 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed removed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves minced
1T fresh thyme chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more from brushing
2 small red bell peppers, organic if available
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
4 slices of rustic bread
1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise
5T shredded fresh basil


~ wipe mushroom caps and with a small spoon scrape out the gills
~ combined and whisk vinegar, garlic, thyme, and 1/4 cup olive oil
~ put mushrooms in shallow glass dish
~ pour vinegar mixture over mushrooms and let sit at room temperature for an hour
~ heat bbq
~ set pepper on grill turn as skin blackens
~ remove blackened peppers and place in glass bowl and cover with baking sheet until cool enough to handle
~ cut peppers into strips
~ remove mushrooms from marinate and season with salt and pepper
~ add about a tablespoon of marinate to mayonnaise 
~ place mushrooms cap side up on bbq until darken and slightly soften 2 to 3 minutes
~ turn grill for another 2 to 3 minutes
~ when mushroom are just about tender place cheese into the cavity of each cap
~ brush bread with olive oil and place on the bbq until slightly toasted turning often
~ assemble slather mayonnaise on bread, place mushroom atop, place red pepper strips and shredded basil on mushroom 

Our broccoli is almost ready to pick.