Fondue Anyone? Newest Trend in Meals Are Fondues

Fondues are a good, quick party food, in fact there are restaurants now that only do fondues. They also come with a high price tag so for you ext party, or romantic evening why not they and make a fondue.
Below I listed some savory fondues.

Bacon-Cheddar Fondue
5 slices bacon
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 1/2 pounds sharp Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
3 dashes Tabasco sauce
Parsley
Fry bacon until crisp and brown in 3-quart heavy saucepan. Drain and crumble; set aside.
Add onion and garlic to 1/4 cup drippings; sauté until tender. Do not brown. Add soup; slowly stir in milk, over medium heat; blend until smooth. Add cheese, a little at a time, stirring until melted. Add bacon, reserving some for garnish. Add Worcestershire sauce, mustard and Tabasco sauce. Pour into fondue pot and keep warm. Garnish with bacon and parsley. If mixture becomes too thick, stir in a little hot milk.
Yields 5 cups.

Blue Cheese Fondue
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, cubed
1 tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy)

Heat wine and cream cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Add Monterey Jack cheese, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Blend in blue cheese. When smooth, add kirsch.

Serve with dippers of French bread, fresh fruit or vegetables.

Yields 5 cups

Brie and Wild Mushroom Fondue recipe

1 cup water
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
1 pound ripe Brie cheese, well chilled, rind trimmed,
cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup dry white wine
Bite-size pieces of cooked chicken
Steamed quartered small red-skinned potatoes
Steamed asparagus or green beans
Bite-size pieces of French bread or focaccia

Bring 1 cup water to boil in small saucepan. Add porcini mushrooms. Remove from heat and let stand until mushrooms soften, about 20 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer porcini to work surface. Coarsely chop porcini. Reserve porcini and soaking liquid.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add shiitake mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add shallot; sauté 1 minute. Add porcini and soaking liquid, leaving any sediment from liquid behind. (You may strain through a coffee filter to prevent grit from getting into fondue.) Increase heat to high. Simmer until liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Toss brie with cornstarch in large bowl to coat. Add wine to mushrooms. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Add cheese to mushrooms in 3 batches, whisking after each addition until cheese melts before adding more. Continue whisking until mixture is smooth and just begins to simmer (do not boil). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer fondue to fondue pot. Set pot over candle or canned heat burner. Serve with chicken, vegetables and bread.

Serves 4 to 6.

Fondue Italiano recipe
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 envelope spaghetti sauce mix
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup Chianti or any red/blush wine
Italian bread, cut into bite-size pieces

In saucepan, brown beef; drain off fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce mix and tomato sauce. Add cheese gradually; stir over low heat until cheese is melted.

Blend together cornstarch and wine; add to cheese mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Transfer to fondue pot; place over burner. If fondue becomes thick, add a little warmed wine.

Israeli Fondue recipe
2 avocados, halved and stoned
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, halved
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups grated Edam cheese
2 teaspoons flour
5 tablespoons thick sour cream
Cubes of sesame-coated French bread
Cubes of red and green bell pepper

Scoop out flesh from avocados into a bowl and mash until smooth with lemon juice. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with cut clove of garlic, then pour in wine and heat until bubbling. Over a gentle heat, stir in cheese and cook until melted, stirring frequently.

In a small bowl, blend flour smoothly with or sour cream, then add to cheese mixture with mashed avocados. Continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes until thick and smooth, stirring frequently. Serve with cubes of bread and red and green pepper.

Serves 4 to 6.

Middle Eastern Fondue recipe
1 (1 1/2 pound) lean leg of lamb, cubed

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper

Apricot Sauce
1 tablespoon oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 (14 ounce) can apricots in natural juice
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mint, cinnamon, salt and pepper together and pour over cubed lamb. Cover lamb mixture and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

To make apricot sauce, heat oil in a saucepan, add shallot and cook over a low heat until soft. Add apricots and the juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Purée sauce in a blender or food processor, then season with salt and pepper and stir in parsley. Reheat before serving.

Remove lamb from marinade and arrange on a serving plate when ready to serve and cook in the hot oil.

Serves 4.

Seafood Cheese Fondue recipe
1 clove garlic, cut
2 cans frozen shrimp soup
1 cup milk
1 pound Swiss cheese, grated
Freshly-ground black pepper
Paprika
French bread in 1-inch cubes
Steamed shrimp, scallops, King crab or lobster chunks

Rub pot with garlic. Heat soup in pot and beat until smooth. Slowly add milk and beat again. Add cheese slowly, stirring as it melts. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika and place over burner.

Dunk the seafood and bread using fondue forks.