Fonduta Recipes

FIVE-CHEESE FONDUTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Brush an 8-in. cast iron or other ovenproof skillet with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, mozzarella, fontina, cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, garlic, rosemary, thyme, pepper and remaining 2 tablespoons butter until combined. Spread into prepared skillet. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Serve with baguette slices, pita chips or vegetables.

FONDUTA

Steps:

• Heat the milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat, being careful not to scorch the bottom. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until homogenous, then set aside. When the milk mixture begins to simmer, add 1 ladleful to the eggs and whisk to combine. Repeat with 2 more ladlefuls, making sure to whisk thoroughly between each addition. Pour the egg mixture back into the simmering milk and reduce the heat to low. Cook, whisking, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the mascarpone and fontina until melted. Transfer to a serving bowl and shave the truffle on top, if using. Serve with salami, garlic bread or your favorite crudites!

ITALIAN FONDUTA

Steps:

• In top of a double boiler set over simmering water, melt butter. In a bowl, whisk together the milk and the yolks; stir in the cheese.
• Whisking constantly, slowly add egg and cheese mixture into butter. Continue whisking until mixture has melted and thickened slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer fonduta to a warmed bowl and garnish with shaved truffle or truffle oil, if desired. Serve with bread, potatoes or asparagus, for dipping. Alternatively, arrange asparagus on a platter, drizzle with fonduta, and garnish with shaved truffle or truffle oil.

MOZZARELLA FONDUTA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the tomato-basil sauce and red pepper flakes to a simmer over medium heat. Cook uncovered until thick, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Place six 5-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet. Divide the sauce equally among the ramekins. Divide the prosciutto among the ramekins. Place the slices of mozzarella between 3 paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Place the slices of mozzarella on top of the prosciutto. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Gruyere on top.
• Broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve with grilled bread.

LOBSTER FONDUTA ON BAGUETTE

Steps:

• Cook the lobster with the Chablis in a large pan, covered, until the lobster is cooked through and the flesh is white throughout, about 10 minutes. Remove the lobster from the pan.
• Clean and dice the lobster and set aside. Place the shells back in the pan and add 3 cups water. Cook the lobster stock for 1 hour. Strain the stock into a saucepan, then reduce the lobster stock a bit.
• Add butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the mushrooms with some salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms start to soften and brown, about 10 minutes. Add the reduced lobster stock, heavy cream, half the truffle, cooked lobster, lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Heat until combined and set aside.
• Preheat the broiler. Cut the baguette in half lengthwise, scoop out the flesh inside, then butter lavishly. Toast the baguette in the broiler until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Cut the baguette into thick slices and arrange on a board. Fill a serving bowl with the fonduta. Garnish with the remaining half truffle.

OLIVE GARDEN SMOKED MOZZARELLA FONDUTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Arrange sliced Italian bread flat on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Set aside until ready to use.
• Combine sour cream, thyme, red pepper, cayenne pepper and four cheeses in a large bowl and blend thoroughly.
• IF SERVING FAMILY-STYLE:.
• Spray an 8x10-inch casserole dish with pan spray, then use a spatula to transfer the mixture.
• FOR INDIVIDUAL SERVINGS:.
• Spray eight individual heat-resistant serving bowls, such as souffle cups, with pan spray and fill each with 1/2 cup of mixture. Place individual bowls on a baking sheet. Using a large spoon, spread cheese mixture to create an even surface.
• TO BAKE:.
• Place casserole dish or baking sheet with individual bowls on center rack in oven.
• After five minutes, place baking sheet with bread, still covered, on top rack in oven. Bake for an additional five minutes. Remove bread and fonduta from oven.
• TO SERVE:.
• Garnish casserole dish with diced tomatoes and parsley in center of fonduta or divide evenly among smaller bowls. Arrange bread slices around bowl(s) and serve immediately.
• *This recipe calls for one of these two cheeses to be smoked and one to be regular).

WALLA WALLA ONION, PINE MUSHROOM FONDUTA

Steps:

• Roasted Walla Walla Onions:
• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Cut the very tops (about 1 inch) off the onions and then replace. Make a bed of coarse salt in a small roasting pan. Place the onions on the salt and roast for about an hour, or until soft through.
• When cool enough to handle, scoop out the insides of the onions, leaving the outer two layers intact within the skin. Take care not to scrape out the base of the onions, as the fonduta will leak out the bottom. Finely chop half of the onion innards for the filling. Set aside.
• Pine Mushroom Fonduta:
• In a medium-size sauté pan, heat the olive oil and add the sliced pine mushrooms. Sweat for 5 minutes, then add the flour. Sauté for 1 minute more, then add the Vegetable Stock and cream. Bring to a simmer and add the reserved chopped Walla Walla, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the day-old sourdough bread pieces. Cook together for 5 minutes to meld the flavours. Add the grated Gruyère, stirring to melt, then remove f rom the heat.
• Assembly:
• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the Roasted Walla Walla Onions in a roasting pan, and fill with hot Pine Mushroom Fonduta (if you have extra, it can be served on the side). Top with the grated Gruyère. Roast for 10 minutes, until bubbly.
• Serve with lots of Arctic Sourdough and any extra fonduta that didn't fit in the onions.

TAGLIATELLE WITH ASPARAGUS AND PARMESAN FONDUTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, bring an inch or two of water to a boil in a small pot. Whisk together the egg yolks, crème fraîche, Parmesan, and garlic in a large heatproof bowl that will fit snugly in the pot without making contact with the boiling water.
• Set the bowl in the small pot and whisk the egg mixture constantly, occasionally scraping the sides and removing the bowl from the pot every couple of minutes as you whisk to keep the cooking nice and slow (don't let it bubble). The mixture will look thick and clumpy for a few seconds, then become liquidy, and then, once the cheese has melted, silky smooth. Cook just until the liquidy sauce has thickened slightly (it should thinly coat the back of a spoon), 6 to 8 minutes. Set the bowl aside in a warm place.
• Salt the large pot of boiling water generously until it tastes slightly less salty than the sea. If you're confident that the pasta and asparagus will finish cooking at the same time, add them both to the water. If you're a worrywart, cook the asparagus first, scoop it into a colander to drain, then cook the pasta. Cook the asparagus until it is juicy with a slight bite, 3 to 4 minutes; and cook the pasta until it is fully cooked, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Drain the pasta and asparagus well in a colander, then pop them back into the now-empty pot. Pour in most of the fonduta and toss gently but well. Season to taste with salt and more fonduta, if you'd like. Transfer to bowls, top with a little more Parmesan, and eat straightaway.