Drunken Ham-and-Cheese Fondue
Serves 4–5
1¼ pounds medium Cheddar cheese
1 baguette
1½ cups cooked ham
1 green onion
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cup beer
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1½ tablespoons water
1 teaspoon kirsch
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Cocktail Complement:
Screwdriver (page 127)
1. Cut the cheddar cheese into cubes and set aside. Slice the baguette into cubes and set aside. Cut the cooked ham into cubes. Dice the green onion.
2. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the beer and warm on low heat. When the beer is warm, add the lemon juice. Add the cheese gradually, stirring continually in a sideways figure-eight pattern until it is completely melted.
3. When the cheese is melted, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add to the cheese, stirring. Turn up the heat until it is just bubbling and starting to thicken. Add the kirsch, the Worcestershire sauce, and the black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.
4. Transfer the cheese to a fondue pot and set on the burner. Invite guests to place a baguette cube and a piece of ham on their fork before dipping into the fondue.
