Cheese Fondue with Chipotle and Tequila

January 8, 2010.   1 Comments.   Categories Appetizers, Chef Viviane Banquet Farre, Comfort Food, Fabulous Side Dishes, Southwestern / Mexican, Vegetarian, Winter.   Tags appetizer, cheese, chipotle, fondue, party recipes, tequila.

Cheese Fondue with Chipotle and Tequila

Recipe from Chef Viviane Bauquet Farre of FoodandStyle.com

Thoughts From Viviane: 

When my good friend Doug Stone asked me to create a few recipes with tequila for his new website ForTequilaLovers, I was thrilled. Not only do I adore tequila on its own or in cocktails, I also love cooking with it – its unusual flavor pairs beautifully with so many foods!

Here I’ve created a new-world version of the classic Swiss fondue. The tequila adds a wonderful dimension to this truly scrumptious fondue and the chipotle lends a hint of smokiness to it. It’s so addictive that when I first tested the recipe, Marc (my best taster and hubby!) ate the whole thing so fast I thought he’d inhaled it!

I recommend either a Reposado Tequila or Mezcal for this recipe, because their deep, powerful flavor stands up nicely to the cheese and actually cuts through the richness of the fondue.

Bread cubes are the traditional dipping bits for fondues, but don’t stop there – try serving this fondue with chunks of grilled meats, blanched-but-still-a-bit-crunchy broccoli or cauliflower florets, cherry tomatoes, fingerling potatoes boiled until just tender… or whatever you love with cheese!

For a head-spinning selection of tequilas, visit Doug’s website. (And no, he hasn’t paid me to say this and hasn’t given me freebies either – this is just my own honest-to-goodness opinion!)

Say cheese and take a bite!

makes approximately 2 cups (4 servings)

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup Reposado Tequila or Mezcal
1 cup dry white wine
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese – coarsely grated
12 oz aged Fontina cheese – coarsely grated
2 to 3 teaspoons chipotle in spicy adobo sauce, to taste – puréed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 sourdough or whole wheat baguette – cut in 1/2″ cubes

Step 1:  Place the cornstarch and the Tequila in a small bowl. Set aside.

Step 2:  Place the wine in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. As soon as the wine starts to simmer, gradually add the grated cheese and whisk constantly until completely melted and smooth. Reduce heat to medium and add the cornstarch/Tequila mixture, chipotle and salt (careful not to dribble on the stove now, alcohol is very flammable!). Continue to whisk for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Step 3: : Place the cheese mixture in a fondue bowl with a flame under it to keep it warm. Serve with long fondue forks and the bread cubes or other morsels of your choice.