Text: Anna Montali. Photographs: Graeme Wyllie. Article from the May 2012 issue of Food and Home Entertaining Magazine.

Great for a gathering, the Swiss fondue has made a comeback.

Classic cheese fondue

Serves 6 – 8  EASY 10 mins

To drink: The higher alcohol content of dry or off-dry sherry cuts through cheesy richness

200g Emmenthal, grated

200g Gruyére, grated

45ml (3 tbsp) cake flour

1 garlic clove, halved

320ml dry white wine

pinch of ground nutmeg

25ml (1 tot) kirsch liqueur

1. Toss the cheese with the flour.
2. Rub the interior of a saucepan with the garlic, then place over medium heat and add the wine. Bring to a slow simmer and gradually mix in the cheese mixture. Stir in the nutmeg.
3. Stir over low heat until the cheese has melted and it is smooth and bubbling. Add the kirsch and continue to stir until it starts to bubble just a bit. Transfer the cheese mixture to a fondue pot. Continue to stir frequently.

Seafood Fondue

This type of fondue is probably the easiest, tastiest and fastest to prepare, but it is also the most fattening!

Serves 4-6 EASY 10 mins

To drink: A bright, wooded Semillon has lemony flavours that work well with seafood dishes

200ml cooking oil

200g butter

2 hake fillets, cut into bite-size strips

60ml (1/4 cup) cake flour

800g prawns, cleaned

1. Heat the oil and butter gently over medium heat until the butter starts to bubble.
2. Pour into a fondue pot.
3. Toss the hake with the flour and dust to remove any excess.
4. Have each guest loop a strip of fish over a sturdy bamboo skewer and dip in the oil until lightly browned. Spear the prawns with fondue forks or bamboo skewers and cook until light pink. Don’t overcook the prawns as they will get tough.

Beef and chicken fondue

Serves 6 EASY 20 mins

To drink: A light, fruity Pinotage is a good all-rounder with different types of meats

1L (4 cups) good-quality chicken stock

3 spring onions, finely sliced

30ml (2 tbsp) fresh ginger, thinly sliced

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

500g sirloin steak, cubed into bite- size pieces

2 deboned chicken breasts, cubed into bite-size pieces

1. Combine the stock, onions, ginger and pepper in a large saucepan and bring the mixture to the boil. Pour into a fondue pot and return to a slow boil.
2. To serve, use a fondue fork to dip beef or chicken into the hot broth and cook to the desired preference.

Dipping sauces

Soy and Sherry Sauce

250ml (1 cup) soy sauce

125ml (1/2 cup) dry sherry

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

10ml (2 tsp) fresh ginger, finely chopped

30ml (2 tbsp) sesame oil

45ml (3 tbsp) brown sugar

Cocktail Sauce

150ml chilli sauce

15ml (1 tbsp) horseradish

45ml (3 tbsp) fresh coriander, snipped

juice of 1 small lime

1 small chilli, seeded and finely chopped

dash of Tabasco

Wasabi Tartar Sauce

250ml (1 cup) good quality, ready-made mayonnaise

2 spring onions, finely chopped

15ml (1 tbsp) wasabi powder

5ml (1 tsp) lemon peel, finely chopped

10ml (2 tsp) fresh lemon juice

Ginger Sauce

250ml (1 cup) soy sauce

30ml (2 tbsp) Dijon mustard

30ml (2 tbsp) honey

10ml (2 tsp) sesame seeds, toasted

5ml (1 tsp) fresh ginger, crushed

For each sauce, combine the ingredients in small bowls. Cover and refrigerate for up to one week.

Classic Hollandaise Sauce

125ml (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

30ml (2 tbsp) tarragon vinegar

3 large egg yolks

60ml (1/4 cup) boiling water

pinch of ground cayenne pepper

pinch of salt

1. Melt the butter and keep it warm and heat the vinegar until just warmed.
2. Place the egg yolks in the top of a double boiler and whisk until they begin to thicken. Add 15ml (1 tbsp) of boiling water. Continue to beat the sauce until it begins to thicken. Repeat with the remaining water, a tablespoon at a time, beating the mixture after each addition.
3. Add the vinegar. Remove the double boiler from the heat and beat the sauce briskly with a wire whisk. Continue to beat the mixture as you slowly pour in the melted butter.
4. Add the cayenne pepper and salt and beat the sauce until it is thick, Serve immediately.

Dark chocolate and fruit fondue

Serves 6 – 8 EASY 10 mins

To drink: A rich, fruity vintage port is a heady match with chocolate

100g sugar

100ml water

200g good-quality dark chocolate, cubed

30ml (2 tbsp) golden syrup

250ml (1 cup) fresh cream, heated

selection of seasonal fruit, Madeira cake slices and marshmallows, to serve

1. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan and stir until the sugar has melted and gone syrupy.
2. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the golden syrup and enough sugar syrup to form a smooth sauce. Stir in the cream and transfer to a fondue pot and serve with the fruit, cake and marshmallows.

Cook’s hints and tips

• The secret to having a memorable and fun fondue is to dream up delicious things to dunk.
• Before using any of the hardy vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, green beans, snow peas, or snap peas, blanch them in a pot of lightly salted boiling water for 1 – 2 minutes to soften them slightly. Drain well before putting them out on a serving tray.
• Angel food cake cubes, marshmallows, tiny brownies, tiny cookies, ladyfingers, shortbread, amaretti, biscotti or meringues can be used with a chocolate fondue.
• Meat can be thinly sliced or diced for broth or oil fondues. Meatballs can also be used in a hot-oil meat fondue.
• Assorted breads, cubed, can also be included.
• Include light as well as heavier sauces.
• It is very important to use the correct fondue pot for a hot-oil fondue.
• Make sure that you use bamboo skewers only for broth-based fondues as they will burn in hot oil.
• Use a few fondue pots if you have more than four guests.
• Don’t overcrowd the fondue as this will result in the food cooking too slowly. 

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