The Sea Goddess Fondue

Ingredients

When using the Evolution Mini, reduce the amount of ingredients by about one-third.

FOR THE CREAMY HERB BROTH :

• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) olive oil
• 1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
• 1 leek, sliced
• 1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) minced garlic
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) white wine
• 1 250g package of cream cheese, softened
• 2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock
• 500 ml (2 cups) fish stock
• 2 litres (8 cups) 15% cooking cream
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) Dijon mustard
• 250 ml (1 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) basil pesto
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) chopped fresh parsley
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) chopped fresh dill
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) chopped fresh oregano
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) lemon zest
• Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE ARUGULA, BASIL AND NUTS PESTO:

• 500 ml (2 cups) packed arugula
• 2 cloves garlic
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) fresh basil leaves
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) chopped walnuts
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) toasted pine nuts
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil

SUGGESTED DIPPING INGREDIENTS:

• Firm tofu cubes
• Cooked yellow beetroot cubes
• Yellow bell pepper cubes
• Tilapia cubes
• Halved Chinese cabbage leaves (Napa cabbage)
• Shrimp and/or pork dumplings
• Broccoli
• Bok choy
• Squash noodles
• Medium shrimp (size 31/40) raw and peeled
• Fried squid rings
• Medium scallops (size 20/40)
• Mussels

Preparation

• Place the arugula, garlic, basil, walnuts and pine nuts in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
• Gradually add the olive oil, stirring constantly, until the mixture is creamy.
• Place the pesto in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve (after each use, drizzle the remaining pesto with a thin layer of olive oil).
• Wrap each food cube in half a Chinese cabbage leaf. Secure with toothpicks. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
• In a large pot, heat the oil for the broth over medium heat. Add the fennel, leek and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes.
• Add the white wine to the pot. Bring to a boil and allow half to evaporate. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted.
• Add the chicken stock, fish stock, cream and Dijon mustard. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes over medium heat, until about a quarter of the mixture has evaporated. Strain the broth through a sieve.
• Add the parmesan, pesto, herbs and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Pour the required amount of broth into the Fondussimo set. Reserve the rest of the broth.
• Serve with your choice of dipping ingredients and the arugula, basil and nuts pesto.

A few tips

• Make sure you always cook your fish cubes properly! It might be tricky to check how well they’re cooked when they’re all bundled up with the Chinese cabbage, so don’t hesitate to cook them separately from the leaves directly in the basket, and then assemble everything with a toothpick! The elegant Fondussimo tongs come in handy for this kind of manipulation, we’re just saying!
• The list of suggested dipping ingredients in this recipe is full of tasty ideas, but here’s a more adventurous one: snow crab! When in season, this yummy crustacean is simply stunning in the creamy herb broth of this preparation. Bon appétit!