Love is in the air! Cupid showed up at our house last night sans bow and arrows. Instead, he brought fondue skewers. Do you remember fondue? It’s SO very 1970’s. It’s also one of the most fun and sociable ways to dine. Fondue is typically eaten with long-handled forks dipped and twirled in a communal pot. Pots are usually electric but are sometimes heated with candles or a gel fuel. Traditional fondue consists of bread cubes dipped into warmed cheese, although some folks also use their fondue pot to cook small pieces of meat in hot oil, or for desserts made from melted chocolate. Last night we ate it all. We fondued cheese, meat, shrimp and chocolate. I even made a couple of tasty dipping sauces. Sharing time at the table with the people you love is a treasure. Turns out that all you need is a fondue pot. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Blue Cheese Fondue
2 tablespoons butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1 heaping cup blue cheese crumbles
½ cup sour cream
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chopped chives
Walnuts, chopped and toasted
Melt butter in a small stockpot. Add cream cheese and cook until smooth. Add blue cheese and sour cream. Stir in garlic powder and chopped chives. Cook until heated through. Pour mixture into ceramic fondue pot with a candle or serving dish and garnish with chopped toasted walnuts. Serve with toasted bread cubes and/or fresh vegetables. Serves 4.
Steak and Shrimp Fondue
Steak marinade:
2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon herbs Provence
1 green onion, chopped
Place tenderloin cubes in a glass dish. Mix marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour over beef; toss to ensure that each piece is thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature before cooking.
Shrimp marinade:
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
Place shrimp in a glass dish. Mix marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour over shrimp; toss to ensure that each shrimp is thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cooking.
For the fondue:
Electric fondue pot
Vegetable oil
Fill a metal fondue pot one-third full with vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Using individual skewers, cook the beef until browned/desired degree of doneness. Cook the shrimp until just pink. Serve with assorted dipping sauces. Serves 4.
Mustard Dipping Sauce (for beef)
Chinese mustard may be found in the international/Asian food aisle of your grocery store.
¾ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
3 teaspoons prepared Chinese mustard
3 teaspoons heavy cream
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl mix well until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Ginger Sauce (for shrimp)
Prepared chopped gingerroot may be found in the refrigerated food aisle of your grocery store.
½ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ – 2 tablespoons fresh chopped gingerroot
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl mix well until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Fried Rice with Yum Yum Sauce
For the sauce:
2 cups mayonnaise
¼ cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup water
Whisk all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl with a lid. Add water as needed to get the desired consistency. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Makes approximately 2½ cups.
For the rice:
2 (8.5-ounce) packages microwavable jasmine rice
2 eggs
¼ cup shredded carrots
¼ cup chopped onions
¼ cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 green onion, chopped
Cook rice in microwave according to package directions. Scramble 2 eggs, chop and set aside. Place cooked rice, carrots, onions and peas in a bowl; mix well. Add chopped eggs and toss to combine. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Add rice mixture to skillet and cook until rice begins to brown. Stir in soy sauce and continue to cook until rice is heated through. Garnish with chopped green onion before serving. Serve with sauce on the side. Serves 4.
Chocolate Fondue
8 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Kahlua
1 tablespoon raw sugar
Place chocolate and cream in a saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon, cayenne pepper and Kahlua. Pour into ceramic fondue pot with a candle or serving dish and sprinkle with raw sugar. Serve with pound cake and strawberries. Serves 6 to 8.
The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. For more great recipes and to view her cooking demonstrations, visit and subscribe to Debbi’s YouTube channel. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at dbc@cateringbydebbicovington.com.
