How to Make a Cheese Fondue Without a Fondue Pot

How to Make Cheese Fondue Without a Fondue Pot

Ok it is retro, but without doubt, highly delicious and perfect for the colder months. Nip into the attic and dust off that wedding present your parents were given in 1970 and get cooking. No fondue pot? Then just use a heavy bottomed pan. You should really keep some heat under the pan whilst enjoying your feast, perhaps try to rig up a trivet to stand the pan on with a couple of tealights underneath. Just make sure that you make the actually fondue on a hob and that it is hot when it reaches the table.

It is really simple and quick to do and makes feeding a few friends speedy and so sociable. The secret to creating the perfect fondue is to have your cheese grated ready to go straight into the hot wine and the cornflour slaked (heaped spoonful made into a thick, lumpfree paste with the addition of a little water) to thicken. Griddled or toasted sour dough bread cubes, hot baby new potatoes, cocktail sausages, raw veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower, baby vine tomatoes, salamis, air-dried ham, sugar snap peas are all great for dipping in the magic cheese pot. Tailor the accompaniments to your guests. Maybe have a freshly dressed salad on the side. As you dip make sure you give the fondue pot the occasional stir, to keep it hot and prevent it sticking.

Optional extra alert! When you get near the bottom of the pot try cracking in an egg and keep stirring and dipping.

Ingredients to serve 4

  • 1 garlic clove, halved
  • 500g Gruyère cheese, grated
  • 300g Kaltbach Swiss cheese, grated – Also try Comte, Beaufort, Raclette, Appenzeller, Ogleshield
  • 250ml dry white wine
  • 1 heaped tablespoon cornflour
  • 1 Tablespoon Vodka
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Freshly grated nutmeg

Method

  • Rub the inside of a cheese fondue pot or medium sized pan with the garlic clove. You can either discard the garlic or leave it in the pan – your choice
  • Put the wine in the saucepan and gently heat but do not boil otherwise the alcohol will evaporate
  • Add the grated cheeses to the hot wine and stir well until melted.
  • Gradually add the slaked cornflour (you may not need it all, err on the side of caution, best to add more than have a molten lump of melted cheese in the bottom of the pan) to the fondue pot and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and glossy, about 5 minutes. Add the Vodka and a generous pinch each of pepper and nutmeg and cook, stirring gently, until creamy and smooth, another 5 minutes; don't overcook the fondue or it will get stringy.
  • Serve at once.
  • Purely Optional- if you happen to drop your skewered bread or accompaniment into the fondue mix – the traditional forfeit is to drink down your glass of wine in one fast hit!

So now you know how to make a Cheese Fondue without a fondue pot, are there any other cheese recipes you want to know? Let me know if you try this recipe, even if you don't love it.