There is nothing more fun than entertaining with a fondue.  However, kids love it too, and your teenager will sure to be home for this family dinner, with a smile.   There is nothing melted about oil fondues, but they have held the name they were given in the 1950’s from Switzerland.  Here are a few tips to making a good fondue:

• Always use a good cut of meat

 (this is not stew)—farm raised,

 local, even better.

• Metal skewers retain lots of

 heat, so it is always best to use

 bamboo skewers to avoid

 burning your mouth. 

• Meat fondue should be done in

 oil in metal pots.

• Slice meat finely, or cube it

 (slightly freezing the meat will

 make this easier).

• Season meat with salt and

pepper just before cooking or

right after

While fondue bourguignonne is probably the best known of the oil fondue recipes, I would like to share a favorite in our family,

Lamb Fondue with toasted baharat (for 6)

Baharat is a fragrant Middle Eastern spice mix (many variables possible) and sometimes with nuts added to soften the blend. 

Ingredients:

3 lb boneless leg of lamb, or

loin,finely sliced (available at

the farmers’ market)

3-5 c peanut or safflower oil

Baharat Spice Mix: (can be made and stored for up to a month ahead)*

4 oz blanched almonds

4 oz shelled pistachios

1/4 c sesame seeds

1 tbsp black peppercorns

1-1/2 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 cinnamon sticks, crumbled

1-2 tbsp sweet paprika

To serve (optional)

Flatbread, hummus, salad leaves plain yogurt (all available fresh at the farmers’ market)

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

Cooking Directions

To make the baharat: 

• Put almonds and pistachios

 into a dry skillet and toast until

 brown, cool and put into a food

 processor and grind coarsely

• Toast the sesame seeds in the

 skillet, add to processor and

 pulse briefly

• Put the peppercorns, cumin,

coriander seeds and crumbled

cinnamon into the skillet and

dry-toast for a few minutes

(until fragrant).  Transfer to a

spice grinder (or mortar and

pestle)and add the paprika.

Grind/make into a powder.

• Transfer to an airtight contain-

er,add nut and seed mixture and

shake well until ready to use*

To prepare the fondue:

• Pat the lamb dry with paper

towels and arrange on a serving

platter.  Spoon the baharat into 6

small bowls.

• Fill the metal fondue pot 1/3

 fullwith oil and heat to 376

degreesor until a cube of bread

browns  in 30 seconds.

• Carefully transfer the pot to its

 tabletop burner.

• Each guest should spear or

thread lamb onto skewer and dip

 into the hot oil for 15-30

seconds.Dip the hot lamb into

 the baharat and eat. 

• OR make flatbread wraps with

 lamb, hummus, salad and

yogurt. 

Have fun and enjoy the conversation.  The best is that there is minimal to clean up!

You can find your fresh ingredients: fondue meat, hummus, yogurt and salad, at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, Saturdays 9-1, at the Saratoga Springs Salvation Army Building on Woodlawn Ave.