Swiss Chalet Dip
A fondue-style Swiss cheese dip melted in white wine with brandy, smoked ham, garlic, and a dusting of nutmeg. Ready in 25 minutes and built for a crowd.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
15 minREADY
25 minPicture a ski lodge appetizer table and this is front and center.
Shredded Swiss cheese melts into dry white wine until smooth and glossy, then gets a splash of brandy and bits of smoked ham stirred through.
Garlic and a whisper of nutmeg on top round out the Alpine flavor.
Serve it warm in a chafing dish with crusty French bread chunks, apple slices, crackers, artichoke hearts, or sliced salami for dipping.
It comes together in about 25 minutes and makes roughly 3 cups, enough to keep a party going all night.
Chef Tips
- Toss the cheese with flour before adding it to the wine. The flour prevents clumping and gives the dip a smooth, silky body.
- Add the cheese gradually in small handfuls, stirring constantly. Dumping it all in at once leads to a gloppy mess.
- Keep the heat medium. Too high and the cheese will seize up and turn rubbery instead of melting smoothly.
- Crisp apple slices are a surprisingly great dipper here. The tartness cuts right through the richness of the cheese.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the wine in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
Mix the Swiss cheese and flour together and gradually add to the wine, stirring constantly, until all the cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.
Remove from the heat and add the brandy, garlic, onion, pepper, and ham.
Pour into a chafing dish and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Serve hot.
Makes about 3¼ cups of dip.
Suggested dippers: Apples, Artichoke Hearts, Crackers, French Bread Chunks, Ham, Salami
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