Brunost Cheese Fondue
An attempt to recreate a life changing fondue moment. It took me several years to realize the ingredient in the fondue I had at a little place called Kashkaval was brunost, or maybe the goat-milk variety gjetost. The caramelized Nordic “cheese” (it is not technically cheese but cream/milk and whey) makes this fondue a salty-sweet addictive substance.
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Butter
6 ounces of shallots
1 teaspoon sugar
1.5 cups dry white wine
7 oz Gjetost or Brunost, shredded
7 oz Gruyere, shredded
2 Tablespoons Flour
Nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
Cubed bread, raw or steamed veggies, grapes, apples, pretzels, potatoes, or anything else you would want to smother in cheese
Tools:
A fondue pot
Steps:
Slice the shallots as thin as you can manage.
Melt the butter in a tall-walled pan. Sauté the shallots for about 3 minutes on high.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Season with salt, pepper and sugar.
Cook until caramelized. We want some browning stuck to the pan, so don’t be shy. Remove about half of the shallots when done.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Make sure the pan is still hot when you add the wine, and scrape the sides and bottom of the pan to dissolve all that stuck on shallot. Cook for 1 minute.
Shred your cheese, if you haven’t already. Avoid using pre-shredded cheese as it will not melt smoothly. Toss with the flour.
Begin adding the cheese by handful, stirring and waiting to add more until the mixture is smooth and everything is melted. Thin with more wine if it becomes too thick once all the cheese is melted.
Season with nutmeg, more pepper and more salt if needed. Transfer to a fondue pot with heating on and top with remaining shallots.
Notes:
While I love sweet wines, try to use something drier here. A light beer might also work. You want that bright, almost acidic flavor to balance out the richness of the cheese. If you cannot do alcohol, a watered down vinegar would do well.
I am unsure if you can taste the difference between Brunost or Gjetost in a fondue like this. Whichever you can find easiest is probably best. If you are in the USA, Ski Queen will likely be the brand you can find. It comes as a little cube.
The Gruyere is in this fondue both to bring more actual-cheese flavor and to amp up the savory side of the dish. Another, similar cheese would be fine. Something that melts well and is nutty, like a different traditional Swiss or Jarlsburg would go well.
If you are making any sort of cheese sauce, like a Queso dip, or cheese-sauced-dish, like Mac n’ Cheese, do not use pre-shredded cheese. To avoid clumping, the cheese is tossed with some substance that will keep it from melting. If you struggle to shred cheese, try popping it in the freezer and try again.