Fondue for 2

Need a romantic Valentine's Day meal thats not too hard to pull off? Then its time for fondue for 2! Chef Kelli Lewton from Pure Food 2-U and 2-Unique Caterers breaks it down.

2-Unique caterers ; Say I do chocolate Fondue!

Ingredients
· 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
· 1# bittersweet/dark chocolate
· 3 TB Chamboard or your favorite liqueur (Godiva, Bailey, Amaretto etc)
· 1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds, optional

Method:
1. Heat Heavy cream in a heavy bottom saucepot over moderate heat until cream comes to a low boil
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add chopped chocolate. Let the chocolate stand in hot cream for a couple minutes to softe, then whisk  chocolate together with the cream.
3. Stir in liqueur and/or chopped nuts  and transfer the fondue to a fondue pot or set the mixing bowl on a rack above a small lit candle. (if fondue becomes too thick, add a smidge more hot cream until you reach desired consistency )

Arrange fun dippables such as:
· Pretzels, potato chips, dehydrated/dried veggies
· Marshmallows
· Strawberries, pineapples, bananas, orange sections
· Pound cake
· Dried fruits
· Cookies
· Brownies

2-Uniques; Sexy Lobster Fondue
· 1 clove garlic cut in half (rub in fondue pot before adding fondue and the discard)
· 3 Tb fine diced onion or leek
· 2 Tb butter
· 2 TB flour
· ½ cup dry white wine (box wine is great)
· 1 cup cooked lobster meat; (knuckle and claw would be great and they sell this at most seafood stores frozen.)
· 1 cup milk
· 12 oz swiss cheese grated
· 10 oz pasteurized soft swiss cheese
· Juice of half a lemon
· 2 tsp onion powder
· Pinch of sea salt
· Pinch of cayenne

Method
1. In Heavy bottom pan, sauté onion, butter & flour for a couple minutes and then deglaze with white wine, let simmer for a minute or two over medium low heat.
2. Add milk and chopped lobster, heat over medium until hot
3. Add soft Swiss cheese and then Gradually add grated Swiss cheese , stirring constantly until melted and smooth
4. Transfer to fondue pot

Fun Dippers:
· Sour Bread
· Pumpernickel bread
· Oysters
· Potatoes
· Thick cut potato chips
· Veggies

Whole Food Market Classic Le Gruyère Fondue
Serves 10
This is a very simple and delicious fondue starring the complex flavor of Le Gruyère. For an alcohol-free version, substituting apple cider for the wine which also produces a brilliant fondue. For other dippers, try slices of cooked mild sausage such as bratwurst, or seafood like cooked shrimp or scallops, and steamed cauliflower and carrots.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Le Gruyère, shredded

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 2/3 cups dry white wine Small loaf crusty bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces

24 bite-sized new potatoes, boiled until tender

2 apples, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces

Method
Toss Le Gruyère and cornstarch together and set aside. Bring wine to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in cheese and cornstarch mixture. Lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly in a figure-8 or zigzag motion, until cheese is melted and the mixture thickens slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Place a fondue pot in the middle of the table. Pour cheese mixture into the pot and place over a gentle heat source. Arrange bread, potatoes and apples on a platter and serve with the fondue for dipping.

Nutrition
Per serving: 730 calories (200 from fat), 22g total fat, 13g saturated fat, 75mg cholesterol, 440mg sodium, 95g total carbohydrate (8g dietary fiber, 7g sugar), 32g protein