When you think of a romantic dinner for two, recipes might include beef Wellington with a delicate sauce and a sinfully delicious tiramisu for dessert. But finger foods served in a private setting might be even better. Consider strawberries dipped in chocolate and lobster dipped in butter.
For a fun, festive and romantic dinner, set up several fondue pots, and serve exotic foods that you normally wouldn't serve at home. Dim the lights, or use only unscented or barely scented candles. Make sure the music fits the mood and atmosphere of your romantic dinner, and you may find yourselves feeding one another with delicious fondue.
Cooking Dinner in Fondue Pots
Supplies You Will Need:
1 fondue pot for each different type of sauce
Fondue forks
Plates
2 fluted glasses
1 or 2 bottles of wine
No matter what kind of fondue you prepare, make sure you have a variety of meats and fish, such as cubes of steak, chicken breasts cut into chunks, sausage links cut into two-inch pieces, jumbo shrimp, lobster and pork. To avoid cross-contamination, make sure all meats are set on the table in their own containers, such as relish trays, and cut the pieces small so they will cook all the way through.
Set out a large fondue pot with hot oil ready for cooking the meat. Just try to keep it out of the way, especially if it is an electric fondue pot with a cord, so no one knocks over the hot oil. Also make sure the oil is hot enough for cooking meat. Toss in a cube of bread, and if the cube turns golden brown in 30 seconds, then the oil is ready.
Don't forget condiments and plenty of dipping sauces. Cook each piece of meat in the oil for one minute, check to see if it is done and then use the dressings and sauces of your choice.
For vegetables, prepare a separate fondue pot with hot butter. Blanch veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, sweet pea pods, carrot slices, zucchini and summer squash slices beforehand. Place the veggies in bowls on the table. Choose which veggies you want, and then, using your fondue forks, lower the veggies into the hot butter for a few minutes before eating.
And what would a romantic dinner be without cheese fondue and chocolate fondue?
Three Cheese Fondue
Ingredients You Will Need:
1 clove garlic
4 tablespoons butter
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
12 ounces cheese (your choice), grated
12 ounces cheese (your choice), grated
�" cup parmesan cheese, grated
½ teaspoon dried mustard
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 ½ cups dry white wine
Rub the inside of the fondue pot, with the clove of garlic. Add the butter, and heat until melted. Fry the celery in the pot for about five minutes. Gradually add the cheeses. Stir until well blended. Add the spices slowly, and mix until blended. In a cup, mix the cornstarch with the wine, stirring until blended. Pour the wine mix into the fondue pot, and bring everything to a boil. Serve with bread cubes, shrimp and vegetables.
Fruit Dipped in Chocolate
Ingredients You Will Need:
1 bag chocolate chips, semi-sweet or milk (your choice)
8 ounces of whipping cream
1 quart strawberries, washed but with hulls left on
1 banana cut into chunks
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1 cup grapes
Start the recipe by melting the chocolate chips in the whipped cream. Once it is all melted, pour it into a warm fondue pot. Set out the strawberries, banana, pineapple chunks and grapes for dipping.
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