RECIPE - CHEESE FONDUE

After spending an exhilarating day on the slopes in the snow-covered Alps, there is nothing better than gathering with friends around a pot of fondue with a glass of white wine. It is the ultimate après ski and certainly one of the most well-known alpine dishes. 

This dish doesn’t have to be exclusive to the French and Swiss Alps and you don’t even need a fondue pot to make this at home… where there is a will there is a way! We’ve got a simple recipe for you below. It will take about 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook and serves about 6-8 people (depending on how hungry they are and your choice of dip!). 

Ingredients: 

For the fondue: 

• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 250g cheddar, grated 
• 250g gruyere, grated 
• 3 tbsp creme fraiche 

Suggestions for dipping: 

• 6 thick slices bread, such as sourdough, chopped into chunks 
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 carrots, cut into batons 
• 2 peppers, deseeded and cut into strips 
• 2 celery sticks, thickly sliced 
• 200g pack mini salami or 1 thin salami cut into bite-size chunks 

Method:

1. Head oven to 200c/180c fan/ gas 6. Mix the vinegar with the cornflour and place in a heatproof bowl with the cheeses. Set over a pan of boiling water. Slowly melt the cheese, stirring occasionally. 
2. To make croutons, toss the bread in the oil and a little seasoning on a baking sheet, then bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp. 
3. To serve, put the cheese fondue on a large platter and arrange the croutons, veg and salamis alongside it. 

Recipe from Good Food magazine, 2010