Irish Dubliner Fondue
Irish Dubliner Fondue: Who says Saint Paddy’s Day means Corned Beef and Green Beer? Sometimes the most FUN holiday dishes aren’t the most traditional.
Don’t get me wrong, I love traditions. Hubs and I have a standing lunch appointment every Saint Patrick’s Day at a local Irish Pub. We’ve held our March 17th lunch appointment our entire marriage; even when we had to cart our babies (robed in Notre Dame attire) into the pub with us–don’t judge.
We have a lot of family traditions. In fact, fondue itself is customary in our house.
Lt. Dan and I got married directly after graduating from college. We saved every penny we earned waiting tables to take a marvelous honeymoon before we had to start our official jobs and “grown-up” life. After weighing our options, we discovered we had saved enough money to spend a month in Colorado or a week on some island. Colorado it was!
What great memories I have of our first month as a married couple. We spent a couple weeks hiking, horseback riding, four-wheeling and exploring all the natural hot springs in Steamboat Springs. We rafted down the Colorado River. Hand-in-hand, we poked through obscure shops in downtown Colorado Springs. We rambled around Red Rocks. Yet one of my favorite memories was dining at a little fondue restaurant in Manitou Springs. Nestled at the foot of Pike’s Peak, this quaint mountain town is home of The Mona Lisa Fondue Restaurant, among other things. One evening we sat out on an idyllic balcony in the crisp mountain air and ate the most exquisite meal either of us had ever experienced in our 22 years of life.
Course after course, we laughed and whispered sweet nothings to each other, as we devoured every last morsel brought to our table. Upon returning home, we promptly bought our first fondue pot and our tradition emerged. Over the last twelve years, we have hosted uncountable fondue parties. We have gone through several fondue pots and have collected all sorts of fondue paraphernalia. Our tradition lives on…
So, nothing against traditions. But think of the wonderfully unconventional dishes one can make with traditional Irish ingredients! Dishes such as Irish Dubliner Fondue or Chocolate Guinness Floats… just off the top of my head. *wink*
Dubliner is a sharp nutty cheese with a slightly brittle texture. It melts well and stands up nicely against the tang of Harp beer. Irish Dubliner Fondue is a delightful deviation from classic Swiss fondue. This pub-style dip is easy to prepare and will disappear in moments when paired with fresh bread, pickles and fruit!
You can prepare your fondue in most fondue pots, but I like to cook it in another small pot. It makes a much tidier presentation.
Serve Irish Dubliner Fondue with smooth and creamy Chocolate Guinness Floats for Saint Paddy’s Day this year!
You won’t need a “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” T-shirt to get a little St. Paddy’s Day love!
Irish Dubliner Fondue
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic cracked
- 1 1/4 cup Harp beer or pale Irish beer
- 8 ounces shredded Dubliner Cheese or sharp cheddar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard
- Pepper
Instructions
- Place a small sauce pot over medium heat. Pour the beer in the pot. Peel and crack one garlic clove; then add it to the pot.
- Mix the shredded cheese with the flour and ground mustard. Slowly add the floured cheese to the beer. Whisk until smooth. You will think you’ve made a mistake until the mixture gets hot enough to thicken and come together—just keep whisking! (5-10 minutes) Remove the garlic clove.
- Once smooth and thick, pour into a fondue pot and serve! Serve with bread cut into cubes, sliced apples, grapes, gherkin pickles, and boiled baby potatoes.
I’ve got my eye on a Cuisinart food processor (4-cup mini) but a fondue pot would be fun, too. I love beer floats–got hooked on them at the Chocolate Lounge–but find they work best when you stir them up a bit to blend the cream into the beer.
Looks like someone’s having a great St. Patty’s Day! Dubliner cheese is one of the best…that fondue set looks pretty darn good!
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the Le Creuset 5 qt. oval dutch oven in purple :)
love fondue- your recipe looks great!
I’d love the kitchen aid stand mixer. Color does not matter, there are just so many recipes where I wouldn’t mind a little break from elbow grease.
I like the idea of an untraditional fondue.
What a fun St. Patty’s day treat! I follow you in google Reader!
Just liked you on FB too!
I love this meal! On the site I want the Zojirushi Ms. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar Set!
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I LOVE blue measuring cups by Nigella Lawson ;)
oh, i LOVE fondue. what a cool idea to pair it with an Irish beer. Beer and cheese go wonderfully together. I am doing a beer tasting at a factory this weekend. I am really excited about it.
OMG! It’s pouring so hard right now, my windows are misty, but I still want one of those Guinness floats!!! BRILLIANT!! Love the twist on a classic French fondue!
Hope you have a fabulous St Paddy’s Day :)
FB’ed it :)
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Oh my gosh, I wish I had done that for my honeymoon! Right after college, though…really?! Youngins! ;-)
And I’ll have what Oprah is having – those adorable blue measuring cups by Nigella Lawson.. love ’em!
I would love.. THIS! The red color, the perfect design, my lack of a fondue pot… this is for me! :)