refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
DIP TIP: Fromage blanc [froh-MAHZH BLAHNGK] is a fresh cheese with a loose, creamy consistency similar to farmer’s cheese, but with very little, if any, fat. Find it at cheese shops and grocery stores in little tubs, or use blended small-curd cottage cheese instead.
SCONNIE BEER AND CHEESE FONDUE
You can take the girl out of Wisconsin (a.k.a. Sconnie), but you can’t take the beer and cheese off her menu. I grew up in the lovely lakeside town of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, where beer and cheese are considered two of the major food groups. One of my favorite recipes from home is beer and cheese fondue. The proteins in the aged Cheddar and the acids in the beer and lemon juice in this recipe help to keep the fondue from separating, so it stays creamy and dippable for a few hours if you keep it warm in a fondue pot or electric mini–slow cooker.
Serve this dip with the Paper-Thin Semolina Cracker Sheets ( page 45 ), apples, and grilled sausages for an elegant winter supper, or pair it as a snack with Spelt Pretzel Rounds ( page 59 ) at your next party.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS/480 ML
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 cup/240 ml lager or IPA beer
4½ tsp cornstarch
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2⅔ cups/225 g grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, at room temperature
1⅓ cups/115 g grated aged Gruyère cheese, at room temperature
1 tbsp stone-ground (grainy) mustard
Rub a 2-cup/480-ml fondue pot or miniature slow cooker with the garlic. Place the garlic and ¾ cup/180 ml of the beer in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup/60 ml beer, the cornstarch, and lemon juice. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thickened and bubbling, 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add a handful of the grated cheeses and whisk in a zigzag pattern until the cheese has melted. Return the pan to low heat and continue to add the remaining cheese in handfuls, stirring in a zigzag pattern and adding more cheese only once the last handful has melted.
Increase the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the mixture is smooth and just begins to bubble around the edges, about 5 minutes; the texture of the fondue will be slightly grainy if it is underdone (see Dip Tip). Do not let the fondue boil or simmer. Immediately remove the pan from the burner, stir in the mustard, and pour the fondue into the prepared warmer. Serve within 1 hour.
Dip Tip: If your fondue begins to separate, take it off the heat immediately and add 1 or 2 tsp lemon juice. Whisk thoroughly in a zigzag motion and return the mixture to low heat. If the fondue was not too far gone, it will return to its creamy glory.
If your fondue is slightly grainy on the tongue after you’ve added all the cheese, the cheese may not be fully melted yet. Continue to cook the dip over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it just starts to bubble around the edges; it will now be velvety smooth and ready to pour into the fondue pot.
TZATZIKI
I learned to make this creamy yogurt dip as an exchange student in northeastern Greece. I was placed with a family with two incredible cooks—my host father was a retired pastry chef and my host mother was a no-nonsense housewife who spent most of her time in the kitchen. Jackpot! The first thing I learned to make in their kitchen was this thick, garlicky tzatziki; it’s been a staple in my repertoire ever since.
MAKES 3½ CUPS/340 ML
32 oz/960 ml whole-milk plain yogurt
1 cucumber
Fine sea salt
2 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise, green sprout discarded
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Stack two 1-ft/30.5-cm squares of cheesecloth and run them under cold water. Wring out the fabric and lay it in a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, allowing the excess cloth to hang over the sides. Pour the
DIP TIP: Fromage blanc [froh-MAHZH BLAHNGK] is a fresh cheese with a loose, creamy consistency similar to farmer’s cheese, but with very little, if any, fat. Find it at cheese shops and grocery stores in little tubs, or use blended small-curd cottage cheese instead.
SCONNIE BEER AND CHEESE FONDUE
You can take the girl out of Wisconsin (a.k.a. Sconnie), but you can’t take the beer and cheese off her menu. I grew up in the lovely lakeside town of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, where beer and cheese are considered two of the major food groups. One of my favorite recipes from home is beer and cheese fondue. The proteins in the aged Cheddar and the acids in the beer and lemon juice in this recipe help to keep the fondue from separating, so it stays creamy and dippable for a few hours if you keep it warm in a fondue pot or electric mini–slow cooker.
Serve this dip with the Paper-Thin Semolina Cracker Sheets ( page 45 ), apples, and grilled sausages for an elegant winter supper, or pair it as a snack with Spelt Pretzel Rounds ( page 59 ) at your next party.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS/480 ML
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 cup/240 ml lager or IPA beer
4½ tsp cornstarch
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2⅔ cups/225 g grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, at room temperature
1⅓ cups/115 g grated aged Gruyère cheese, at room temperature
1 tbsp stone-ground (grainy) mustard
Rub a 2-cup/480-ml fondue pot or miniature slow cooker with the garlic. Place the garlic and ¾ cup/180 ml of the beer in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup/60 ml beer, the cornstarch, and lemon juice. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thickened and bubbling, 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add a handful of the grated cheeses and whisk in a zigzag pattern until the cheese has melted. Return the pan to low heat and continue to add the remaining cheese in handfuls, stirring in a zigzag pattern and adding more cheese only once the last handful has melted.
Increase the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the mixture is smooth and just begins to bubble around the edges, about 5 minutes; the texture of the fondue will be slightly grainy if it is underdone (see Dip Tip). Do not let the fondue boil or simmer. Immediately remove the pan from the burner, stir in the mustard, and pour the fondue into the prepared warmer. Serve within 1 hour.
Dip Tip: If your fondue begins to separate, take it off the heat immediately and add 1 or 2 tsp lemon juice. Whisk thoroughly in a zigzag motion and return the mixture to low heat. If the fondue was not too far gone, it will return to its creamy glory.
If your fondue is slightly grainy on the tongue after you’ve added all the cheese, the cheese may not be fully melted yet. Continue to cook the dip over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it just starts to bubble around the edges; it will now be velvety smooth and ready to pour into the fondue pot.
TZATZIKI
I learned to make this creamy yogurt dip as an exchange student in northeastern Greece. I was placed with a family with two incredible cooks—my host father was a retired pastry chef and my host mother was a no-nonsense housewife who spent most of her time in the kitchen. Jackpot! The first thing I learned to make in their kitchen was this thick, garlicky tzatziki; it’s been a staple in my repertoire ever since.
MAKES 3½ CUPS/340 ML
32 oz/960 ml whole-milk plain yogurt
1 cucumber
Fine sea salt
2 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise, green sprout discarded
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Stack two 1-ft/30.5-cm squares of cheesecloth and run them under cold water. Wring out the fabric and lay it in a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, allowing the excess cloth to hang over the sides. Pour the
Similar Books
