Smokey Fontina and Tomato Fondue

If you’ve spent even a few minutes scrolling some form of social media in the last few months, you’ve probably seen a recipe for baked feta cheese. There seems to be a million and one versions for this recipe. It’s basically a block of feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, olive oil and a few spices baked in a casserole dish until melted and bubbly. Some people combine it with pasta, others an appetizer enjoying it with crackers and bread.

Never one to turn down a bowl full of melted cheese, I thought this was a recipe well worth jumping on the bandwagon for. Even better, a paper bag full of lovely bright red cherry tomatoes were delivered in my McIlrath produce box. 

While I love feta cheese, I decided to go a different route. A bit of digging through my cookbook collection and I stumbled across a recipe in Ashley Rodriguez’s Date Night In where she used fontina cheese to make fondue over open coals for a backyard party. Now this was something I could get excited about. While there doesn’t seem to be any backyard parties in the near future, a special treat, just because, seems more than appropriate these days.

I borrowed Rodriguez’s idea of using fontina which is a lovely creamy cheese with a mild flavor. Another idea would be to use gouda or a sharp white cheddar. Goat cheese or feta is perfectly wonderful as well. Essentially, just pick your favorite cheese and follow along with this recipe. I made this fondue on the Traegar Grill for a subtle smokey flavor but your stove and oven works great too. The end result is a decadent, flavorful fondue perfect for a simple date-night-at-home or a big backyard bash (whenever that days comes around again). 

If there’s a silver lining from the last year and all its crazy ups and downs, its been the delight of a special meal for no other reason than just because. I’m a novice sourdough bread baker, having tried and failed what feels like at least a 100 times, but this year I’ve gotten the hang of it a little more. Bread is a bit of a science experiment but I don’t think there’s a better meal than fresh bread, good cheese and glass of wine. Sometimes the simplest recipes turn out to be the ones that stay with your forever, becoming a favorite for years.

Smokey Fontina and Tomato Fondue

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 small shallot minced

• 1 clove garlic minced

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 10 ounces fontina cheese

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced

• Coarse kosher salt

• Loaf of sourdough bread (crackers, pretzel roll or baguette are lovely too)

If using a smoker or barbecue, turn to a medium-high heat and allow to come to temperature. If cooking indoors, preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Place a cast iron pan on the grill and heat the extra virgin olive oil until it begins to spit. Add the shallot and stir constantly until it begins to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, a pinch of kosher salt and the thyme to the pan, stirring again to mix. As the tomatoes begin to plump and juice, add the garlic and give a quick stir.

Cube the fontina cheese into roughly 1 inch pieces. Add the cheese to the pan and stir every 2 minutes until the cheese is completely melted and combined with the shallot and tomatoes. If the edges begin to bubble and brown, turn the heat off to the grill and remove from heat. Keep stirring until the cheese is completely melted. Sprinkle with lemon zest and rosemary, stir gently and garnish with a pinch of kosher salt. Serve with a loaf of warm bread (just wrap bread in foil and leave in a warm oven for 10 minutes) and a bottle of your favorite wine. 

*If you’re making this inside, do this part on the stove, heating the pan to a medium heat and following the steps. When it’s time to add the cheese, place the cast iron pan in the oven.