Brandy & Walnut Fondue

Brandy & Walnut Fondue - serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
1 garlic clove
250ml dry white wine
4 Tbs Calvados brandy (any good brandy can be substituted)
225g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
350g Gruyere cheese, grated
100g goat's cheese, crumbled
2 Tbs cornflour
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce, or to taste
100g chopped walnuts

To Serve - Dippers
Cubes of crusty bread - not too fresh
Strips of courgettes
Apple wedges
Mango wedges
Pickled jalapeno chillies for dipping
Frankfurter pieces
Pieces of cooked chicken

To Serve - Salads (see later)
Chilled Ratatouille (serves 4 to 6 - needs time to chill)
Tossed Green Salad (serves 4)

Instructions
Cut the garlic and rub the insides of the fondue pot. Pour in the wine and brandy. Heat Gently, then place over the lighted spirit stove.

Toss the cheeses in the cornflour then gradually stir into the wine. Heat gently, stirring until all the cheese has melted.

Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco Sauce and walnuts. Continue to heat, stirring throughout until thick and creamy.

Serve with dippers and Salads

Chilled Ratatouille

Ingredients
4 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium aubergine, cubed
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 courgette, sliced
225g tomatoes, chopped
100g mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbs white wine
Salt and pepper
2 Tbs chopped fresh basil

Instructions
Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the onion, garlic and aubergine for 5 minutes. Add the peppers, courgette, tomatoes, mushrooms and white wine, cover with a lid and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Season to taste, and continue to cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but still retaining their shape.

Cool, chill for at least 30 minutes and serve sprinkled with chopped basil.

Tossed Green Salad

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, halved
1 Romaine lettuce
1/2 small cucumber
3 celery sticks, trimmed and chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded
2 chicory heads
6 spring onions, trimmed
1 large, ripe avocado
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs roughly chopped parsley

Dressing
5 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
Salt and pepper
1 to 2 tsp caster sugar

Instructions
Rub the garlic inside the salad bowl. Rinse the lettuce leaves, pat dry, tear into small pieces and place in the bowl.

Peel and dice the cucumber. Add to the lettuce with the celery.

Slice the pepper into half moon shapes, and add to the bowl. Pull the chicory heads apart, rinse then arrange in the bowl.

Chop the spring onions and scatter over the lettuce. Peel the avocado and discard the stone, dice, toss in the lemon juice then arrange in the salad bowl with the parsley.

Place all the dressing ingredients in a screw top jar. Shake vigorously until well blended. Poor over the salad, toss and serve.

From - The Fondue Cookbook by Gina Steer