Apple Cider Cheddar Fondue with a Roasted Broccoli Cube
What’s a better meal/activity for bonding with friends and family than fondue? It has been one of our family’s favorites for 30 years – fondue is fun, melty, cheesy goodness! And, with a few updates from the 21st century – this Swiss classic goes from good to ***Wow!***
I tweaked the ’70s classic three ways to make it more frugal and ramp up the flavor:
The first improvement is to toss veggie cubes in a little olive oil, S & P and then roast at high heat. I did 30 minutes at 425 degrees, stirring once at halfway. So much more flavor than just steamed! Why did I EVER think steaming veggies was a great idea?!
Second, if you use today’s amazing new flavorful cheeses available at any grocery store your fondue improves dramatically. To keep it frugal, I used just a few ounces of an amazing tasting but expensive cheddar for flavor and then Monterey Jack to give the fondue a smooth, creamy melted texture.
Third, you can make fondue more budget-friendly by replacing the wine with cider or broth with just a splash of white or red wine vinegar. The apple cider- cheddar flavor combo is fondue-licious!
Roasting Instead of Steaming Vegetables Adds Tons of Flavor
APPLE CIDER CHEDDAR FONDUE
Prep time 20 minutes – Serves 4 to 6
4 ounces good quality aged white cheddar cheese, grated
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Toss cheeses with cornstarch.
In a large sauce pan over medium LOW heat, heat all remaining ingredients.
Slowly stir in cheeses a little at a time, letting cheese melt before adding more cheese.
Serve warm in a fondue pot. Serve with crusty bread cubes and cubes of roasted vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, peppers, and squash.
Other food blogger’s adventures with fondue:
Fancy Cheese Fondue, A Year of Slow Cooking
Cheese fondue with Chipotle and Tequila, Food and Style
Cheese fondue in a Pumpkin, Streaming Gourmet
Jalapeno Jack Fondue, Andreas Recipes
Superbowl Beer and Cheese Fondue, Serious Eats
– posted by Donna
I’ve been wanting to try fondue again – this looks like a great recipe to try!
Sounds like a great combination that I’m excited to try.
Yum-o. I have a tip for lower fat fondue! I might be the only crazy person that likes low fat fondue, but hey. Mix lower fat cheeses (that don’t melt as well) with regular fat cheese to create a good melty fondue cheese. Or you can make a white bean puree to mix in with the fondue cheese…you could use kidney or cannellini beans. yumm. That way the fondue has some more protein.
Amy Jane – Will have to try the low fat cheese thing soon.
looks so good! I will definitely make soon!