Cheese Fondue

I got a craving this afternoon...a BIG BREAD craving.  It's been a while since I've made fresh bread, and crusty homemade french bread sounded amazing.  So I threw the flour, yeast, salt and water into the breadmaker and sat back and relaxed, trying to think of what I could make for dinner to compliment the wonderful bread that would be done in 3 hours and 45 minutes......

Then I thought....hmmm...cheeeeeese. We have pepperjack in the fridge....

but I used that last night for tofu tacos.

Goat cheese crumbles?

....eh. Too sharp for tonight. Not feeling it.

I got some feta, but I'm saving that for the St. Patties Day Greek Food Rebellion.

Fuck it- let's go to the store.

On the way over the Safeway (across the street), I brainstormed. I wanted something snacky.  Something fresh with flavor.  And that's when it hit me- let's try a fondue!  What could be better than a wine and cheese mixture with fruit, veggies, and FRESH BREAD!

I got really excited.  This was going to be an endeavor.  I remembered that I had aquired a fondue set at some thrift store eons ago, and I've never made use of it...and now's the perfect time!  And I wasn't going to make this simple on myself...oh no, I was going to do. this. RIGHT.  Some veggies roasted, some fresh.  Two kinds of cheese-friendly meat for Ty.  A crisp, sweet, cheese-dippable fruit...apples or pears or apples or pears....why is that decision so difficult? (Apples won- they were on sale.)

Then I spent about 20 minutes in the deli section trying to figure out what combination of cheese to get.  This was the most important decision of all, because the type of cheeses would set the rest of the fondue ingredients in motion- sharp cheddar and beer? mozzarella and marinara? classic french swiss and wine?

I sat there for way. way. way too long.  I probably circled the cheese stand about 10 times before making my choices.

The determining factor, ironically enough, was the italian sausage in my cart.  But I didn't want to go TOO italian, so I settled for a french/italian combo: fontina, swiss, gouda and parm...subtle, yet complimentary, with a sharp little kick.  I was so excited.

When I got home I had to do a little research on how exactly to prep the fondue- I knew you couldn't just throw stuff into a pot and expect it to turn out any reasonable consistency- so after reading multiple recipes online (some good, others just plain revolting), I came up with my own version, and I am very, VERY happy with it.

The great thing about fondue is the process is the same, but the ingredients can change drastically.  You can have a lot of fun with it, and it's wide open to experimentation.  If anyone reading comes up with another great recipe, let me know!  I'd love to try it out.

*Final note- I realized when I got home that I no longer had the fondue set I remembered.  I had given it back to the goodwill during one of those crazy cleaning days...oh well. (You don't really need it anyway, trust me. Forks work just fine.)

Cheese  Fondue

8 oz grated gouda
6 oz grated fontina
6 oz grated swiss
4 oz parmesan
3 Tbsp cornstarch
a dash of herbs de provence
1 tsp pepper
2 cups dry white wine
1 lg shallot
1 clove garlic
2 glugs of dry sherry
brocolli
cauliflower
red bell pepper
whole button mushrooms
italian sausage
chicken breast, chopped
apples
crusty bread
olive oil
1 tsp butter

Preheat the oven to 450.

First, prep your dippers.  Chop the fresh bell pepper, apples, and bread into 1 inch pieces and set aside.  In a non-stick skillet, add butter and olive oil (two turns around the pan) and bring to med-high heat.  Add whole mushrooms stirring occasionally until they are nicely browned.  Remove from heat and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.  Set aside.

Bring the same skillet to medium heat and add chopped chicken breast.  Cook until the chicken is cooked through and there is no pink in the middle- The smaller pieces make the cook time much faster, and you get more of the crispy browned goodness in each bite.  Season with a bit of herbs de provence and lemon juice, then transfer to a small bowl.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and cover with broccoli and cauliflower florets. sprinkle with a healthy helping of olive oil and place in the oven, roasting for about 15 minutes.  Once the veggies are slightly wilted and toasty but still crisp, remove from oven and set aside.

Place the italian sausage on the same baking sheet.  Poke a few holes in the casing so it doesn't explode, and roast for about 10 minutes (until the casing is crispy).  Remove from oven and cut into bite-sized pieces.  Set aside.

Now for the best part.....

Mince the shallots into tiny pieces.  Add shallots and white wine to a small saucepan and bring to a low boil for about 4-5 minutes.  While the alcohol is cooking out, combine grated fontina, grouda and swiss cheeses (not the parmesan- that comes later) with cornstarch in a large ziplock.  Seal the baggie and shake until the cheese is coated.  Reduce heat to low and SLOWLY add cheese mixture into the saucepan.  I found that separating it into three sections works well. Stir in carefully with a wooden spoon, allowing the cheese to slowly melt.  Repeat with the next two batches of cheese, then add the parmesan.  It should take about 7-10 minutes to really incorporate all the cheese to make a nice, smooth fondue. Add a few generous glugs of dry sherry and allow to cook for about a minute more.  Season with pepper and a little herbs de provence, then transfer to a fondue pot (if you like) to keep the mixture warm.

However, since it's just me and Ty (and Kitten) here, I find it easier to plop the saucepan directly on the table (or coffeetable)...make sure you have a towel or cozy underneath.....that way if the cheese starts to thicken or get clumpy, you can easily transfer it back to the stove, pour yourself a little more wine, then bring it back to the table (or coffeetable) refreshed and ready for dippage.  Some may call it uncouth....I say it's "rustic."  Whatever.  It's delicious, either way.

Sauteed Quinoa Salad with Spicy Tofu and More

It was really hard to come up with a name for this one.

When March hits, suddenly something happens to my diet- I start to crave veggies, veggies, lots of veggies, and the idea of eating meat becomes less appealing as the days become longer and the sun becomes warmer.  So I decided to resurrect my quinoa creation that began when Tyler and I were living in our tiny Santa Cruz beach cottage.  I loved that place, but I basically had a stove and a small strip of counter to work with, and our "kitchen" doubled as our living room.  Needless to say it was really difficult to cook anything extensive.  This recipe is quick, and can be as involved as you want it to be!  It's also a great recipe to alter for whatever you need use up in your fridge and is a really good alternative to rice dishes.

Quinoa is actually a seed, not a grain (though it is commonly called the "Peruvian grain"), is loaded with vitamins and minerals, and is high in protein, folic acid, and omega 3 while low in cholesterol.... a true super food.  It's one of my favorite one-dish meals because it is not overly starchy or heavy, yet can easily contain all the major food groups.  It has a very light, fluffy consistency that is more similar to cous cous, which leaves you feeling satisfied, healthy, and not overly full (even if you eat a lot of it, which you probably will).  For this recipe, I stick to my old standby salad rule- make sure you have a nut, a fruit, and a cheese- by throwing in roasted almonds, dried cranberries and some chunky feta along with the veggies, and this combination seems to compliment the mixture so well that I don't find any need for a dressing at all.  This keeps the dish nice and light- perfect for second (or third) helpings.

Sauteed Quinoa Salad with Spicy Tofu and More

1 c quinoa
2 c chicken or vegetable stock
broccoli and/or cauliflower florets
1 large carrot, julienne cut
6-8 white button mushrooms, sliced thinly
1/2 red onion, julienne cut
8-10 oz fresh spinach
2 or 3 large garlic cloves
any white wine lying around
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
garlic powder
Sriracha
olive oil
1/2 c dried cranberries
feta cheese crumbles
handful of almonds, lightly toasted and chopped
1/4 c fresh chopped parsley

Cook quinoa as you would rice- 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa.  I like to use stock for extra flavor, but water will work too.  If you have a rice cooker, like I do, it makes it really easy- just pour in both ingredients and press the button.  If not, place a small covered saucepan, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for about 15 min, or until all the moisture is evaporated.

Meanwhile, in a medium non-stick skillet (make sure it is non-stick- as much as i loooove my all-clad stainless steel, it sort of shredded the tofu into little bits) pour in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan and turn on med-high heat.  With a clean cloth, make sure to squeeze all excess moisture from the tofu.  Chop tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the pan once the oil is hot.  Let cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the tofu starts to slightly brown, then sprinkle with garlic powder and salt.  Give it a good stir every few minutes to ensure that the tofu cooks evenly on all sides.  Squeeze Sriracha evenly over tofu and toss around in the pan so all sides are covered. *Do not stand directly over the pan during this step- the vapors from the Sriracha are VERY spicy, and if you breathe it in can cause quite a nasty coughing fit.  Continue to cook tofu a few more minutes until it reaches desired consistency.  About 10-12 minutes is a good guideline- it should be nicely browned and firm, but not burned.  Transfer tofu to a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large skillet, coat with olive oil and cook on medium heat.  When oil is hot, add carrots and onion.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, uncovered.  Using a garlic press, stir in garlic (if you don't have a garlic press you can just mince it finely ahead of time and dump it in).  Add mushrooms, broccoli/cauliflower, and a healthy glug (about a half a cup) of white wine.  Stir occasionally, allowing to cook about 5 more minutes, or until the alcohol has cooked out and the liquid has reduced a bit.  Once the veggies are cooked through (but not mushy), stir in tofu, quinoa, spinach and dried cranberries. Continue to cook about 2 minutes more, until the spinach is slightly wilted.  Then transfer to a large bowl and sprinkle in almonds, parsley and feta.  Serve immediately.  Keep leftovers in the fridge for a few days, enjoy warm or cold.  Enjoy!