Fondue Night!! Recipes from the Melting Pot

I wanted to make fondue tonight for dinner, so I started searching recipes for fondue.  While searching for copycat Melting Pot recipes I found actual melting pot recipes.  The recipes are from Fox 43 The Hampton Roads Show, which I believe is a news station near Virginia Beach.  The show had a couple different Melting Pot managers make popular recipes from the restaurant.  The Melting Pot is a fondue restaurant where you can go and have a fancy sit down dinner.  The waiters make the different fondue courses in front of you and then you get to use the fondue forks to cook your own meats and veggies.  There is a cheese fondue, salad, meat fondue, and then dessert fondue all very delicious.  The restaurant is pricey, but they do use expensive ingredients to make the fondue.  Anyway, now that I have explained the Melting Pot I can show you the recipes!

*You can use an electric fondue pot or a double boiler, which you can make by placing a mixing bowl (glass or metal) and a saucepan that the bowl will fit on top of.  The two should fit tightly together because you don’t want a gap between the bowl and the saucepan. To use the double boiler, add water to the sauce pan and bring it to a simmer, then place the bowl on top and fill it with whatever you intend to cook or melt. I have an electric fondue pot so that is the method I will be using. To read more about using a double boiler click here.

The first one I made was the…

Cheddar Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces Sharp Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese, or regular Sharp Cheddar
• 3 ounces Emmenthaler Swiss Cheese, or regular Swiss
• 1/2 to 1 Can Domestic Beer, for the base
• 1 – 2 cloves freshly chopped garlic
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Tablespoon dry mustard powder
• Freshly Cracked Black Pepper to taste

Suggested Dippers:

• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Califlower
• Green Apples
• Any kind of bread you like that has a nice firm crust

I had to guess on the measurements while watching the video, but here is another version of the same recipe if you would like to try it.

Instructions:

Step 1:    Bring the beer to a simmer in the electric fondue pot.

Step 2:    Add the garlic and let simmer for a minute.

Step 3:    Add the mustard powder and then add the cheeses a little at a time while stirring.

Step 4:   Add Flour and stir until dissolved.  Add the Worcestershire sauce and the cracked black pepper.  Stir until nice and creamy.

Step 5:   Dig in!

Next was the meat course:

Mojo Cooking Style Fondue

Ingredients:

• 5 1/4 cups vegetable broth or 5 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup orange juice, fresh-squeezed (about 1 orange)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning ( I used Ms. Dash Caribbean Citrus Seasoning)
• 2 tablespoons black pepper, cracked
• 2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh-squeezed (about 1/2 a lime)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

Suggested Dippers for Cooking:

Raw Chicken, cubed

Raw Steak, cubed (Sirloin or Filet Mignon is tasty)

Raw Shrimp

Potatoes, cubed

Broccoli

Mushrooms

Carrots

*I seasoned my meat with salt and pepper before I cooked it in the fondue pot.  Also REMEMBER to use separate plates for raw and cooked food.

Directions:

Step 1:    Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil.

Step 2:   Transfer to the electric fondue pot. Or you can just throw all the meat into the saucepan and let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the meat is done.

Step 3:   Use to cook beef, shrimp, chicken, mushrooms, potatoes, broccoli or anything else you can think of.  The meat you are using is raw so make sure the meat is cooked all the way through, is no longer pink and has reached the correct temperature.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/the-melting-pot-mojo-fondue-broth-372114?oc=linkback

Finally the dessert:

I just melted almond bark for my chocolate fondue, but please check out this recipe and let me know what you think!

Flaming Turtle

Ingredients:

12 oz Milk Chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips)
2 tbsp Heavy Cream or Water
¼ cup Caramel Ice Cream Topping
1 Tbsp Rum
3 Tbsp Pecans, chopped

Suggested Dippers:

Fresh Strawberries

Pineapple

Bananas

Pound cake

Brownies

Marshmallows

Cherries

Pretzels

Cheesecake

Graham Crackers

Step 1:   Mix together chocolate and cream in electric fondue pot or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Heat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Stir constantly.  Remove from the high heat/stove and keep warm in a bowl or fondue pot on low heat.

Step 2:   Add Caramel in the middle of the chocolate and do not stir.

Step 3:   Add Rum and ignite carefully using a long wooden match or lighter (hence the name “Flaming” Turtle, but please be very careful!)  Allow the flame to burn out and stir gently to combine.

Step 4:   Sprinkle with pecans.

Step 5:  Enjoy!