Happy Anniversary Fondue Dinner

Love is in the air! Vince and I celebrated our thirty-third wedding anniversary with Mike and Kim Clark, two of our best friends from college who just happened to get married the year before we did, and just happen to live in Bluffton. We all met in Wilson, NC. Kim and I knew each other from grade school and our fathers were dear friends. Vince and Mike met when we were all attending Atlantic Christian College and have been good buddies ever since. As fate would have it, all four of us ended up in the SC Lowcountry and we’ve been celebrating our mutual August nuptials together almost every year since 1992. We usually dress up and meet for dinner in a fancy restaurant, rotating annually between Beaufort and Bluffton. This year, we opted for a casual evening on Lady’s Island. The Clarks brought flowers and dessert and I pulled out Mama’s fondue pot from the 1970’s. Have you ever hosted a fondue party? It’s one of the most fun and sociable ways to dine. Fondue is 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. We fondued cheese, beef tenderloin and shrimp. I even made a couple of tasty dipping sauces. Sharing time at the table with the people you love is a treasure. Many happy returns of the day to everyone with an August wedding anniversary!

 

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, optional

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 or ketchup

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

2 tablespoons water, optional

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.

 

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.