They say "everything old will be new again," and I've been around long enough to believe it's true.
When I was in high school, fondue parties were the rage. My mother would pull out her avocado-colored fondue pot, heat some oil and we'd have a blast cooking bits of meat on our long-handled fondue forks. For dessert, the pot was filled with a luscious chocolate fondue. Occasionally, my parent's dinner parties would begin with a cheese fondue and speared French bread cubes.
Jump ahead to the 1990s, and the only place you saw a fondue pot was at a yard sale. I purchased my stainless-steel pot to use as a chafing dish.
Today, fondue pots grace bridal registries, and fondue is in vogue. My sister even gave my husband an electric fondue pot for his birthday a few years back, and I have an updated recipe to heat in your fondue pot suited for an impromptu football game hors d'oeuvre or holiday starter. My Creamy Tomato Fondue is a snap to prepare, and it will garner you rave reviews from your par;ty guests.
The recipe is almost embarrassingly simple, but every time I bring it to a party I'm asked to share it while I watch it disappear. The fondue can be prepared in a saucepan on the stove, or it can be whipped up in an electric fondue pot.
The fondue starts with canned, diced tomatoes seasoned with basil, oregano and garlic, and with dry white wine. If you'd rather not cook with wine, you can omit it from the recipe, heat the tomatoes and skip the step of reducing the liquid a bit.
Reduced-fat cream cheese and shredded Monterey Jack cheese are the creamy additions. When I made the fondue for a recent game-day party with friends, I substituted a shredded Italian cheese blend that contained mozzarella, Asiago and garlic for the Jack cheese with great results.
Though I love the dip bubbling hot from my fondue pot, I've also served it as a cold creamy tomato spread. Either way, it is wonderful with bagel chips or Fritos for dipping.
Write to Karin Calloway in care of The Augusta Chronicle Newsroom, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, GA 30903. Or send e-mail to karin.callaway@comcast.net.
Creamy Tomato Fondue
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes seasoned with oregano, basil and garlic
1 cup dry white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 8-ounce blocks reduced-fat or regular cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Bagel chips or Fritos, for dipping
Combine the tomatoes and wine in a saucepan or electric fondue pot and heat until bubbly. Simmer 10 minutes, until liquid is almost completely reduced. Add the cheese and heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Top with the basil and serve with bagel chips or Fritos for dipping.
Makes 12 appetizer servings.
Nutritional information per serving: 185 calories, 9 grams fat, 5 grams saturated, 48 milligrams cholesterol, 338 milligrams sodium, 5 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams protein, 1 gram dietary fiber
Nutritional analysis provided by registered dietitian Rachel B. Drew, the nutritional education specialist for the Richmond County School Nutrition Program, in conjunction with the Augusta Area Dietetic Association.
Coming next week: Caramel cappuccino cups are desserts served in demitasse cups with the taste of a coffeehouse specialty. See Karin prepare the recipe at noon Tuesday on WJBF-TV (Channel 6).
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