There are a few main things Switzerland is known for. Aside from their neutrality, it’s got to be the mountains, the chocolate and the traditional Swiss cheese fondue. There’s a reason why this dish from such a small country is famous and loved all around the world, and if you’ve never tried it, you’re missing out. I don’t think I’d really had PROPER Swiss cheese fondue until I visited Switzerland for the first time, so to remedy that, I’m bringing you a traditional recipe you can create wherever you are in the world!
Swiss Cheese Fondue is traditionally a blend of Gruyere, Emmental and Appenzeller cheese. Gruyere and Emmental have that classic, nutty mild flavour, while Appenzeller is sharp and strong. When blended, melted with a little wine, seasoned with garlic and nutmeg and served with lots and lots of crusty bed, there’s hardly any comfort food to trump it.
Cheese fondue was our Christmas dinner last year… that’s right. This simple meal was good enough for us to ditch the normal roast dinner and try something different, and it was GREAT. Mainly becuase a roast dinner takes about 100000 hours to make (just kidding, but it can seem that way sometimes) and a fondue takes about 10 minutes.
I’m not suggesting you should drop all your Christmas dinner plans and make fondue, that would mean you can’t make these honey roasted carrots, or these garlic roasted brussel sprouts, but you should definitely give a traditional Swiss cheese fondue a go at some point over the holidays. It’s one of those experiences everyone should have at least once! Fondue will always have lovely memories for me, and it’s something we will continue to enjoy every now and again at home!
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Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue
Serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as a side dish
Since moving to Switzerland I have discovered what real Swiss fondue is. This recipe is so simple and so delicious, you’ll never do fondue another way!
Ingredients:
170g Gruyere Cheese,
170g Swiss Emmental Cheese,
60g Appenzeller Cheese,
150ml Dry White Wine,
8g Corn Starch,
1 Clove Garlic, minced,
Pinch of Nutmeg,
Salt and pepper for seasoning.
For dipping/eating with:
A loaf of crusty bread, cubed,
Gherkins,
Apples,
Pears,
Pickled Onions,
Pineapple.
This list of dipping items is not exhaustive, they are just the things that I have seen served with fondue in Switzerland! Most of the time it is only served with bread for dipping. Also, traditionally the Swiss only dip the bread in the fondue, if you are having other things, don’t actually dip them in the pot as it can mess with the structure of the cheese, just drizzle some cheese on your condiment of choice!
Steps:
1. Grate the cheese and mix together. Prep all your ingredients for dipping before you start as the fondue needs to be served immediately as soon as it is ready.
2. Add the wine, garlic and cornstarch into a large saucepan and heat on a medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken.
3. Add the cheese and stir until it is melted and thin. Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper and transfer into a fondue pot which is heated. Serve and eat immediately.
Note: The fondue should be kept in the fondue pot at a temperature where it is still liquidy, but never bubbling.
When eating the fondue, the best advice I got from Swiss friends is to keep the fondue moving, so every time you dip, give it a stir. Oh and whoever drops their piece of bread in the fondue loses!
For a fun way to finish the little bit of leftover fondue at the bottom of the pot, crack an egg in and turn the heat up on your burner. Stir the egg with your fondue fork to make a delicious cheesey scrambled egg… it’s delicious!
