Saturday

The Artist's Fondue or Fondue in Baked Squash

I found this way of serving fondue a couple of years ago while looking through a food artist's portfolio ~
I've been making it ever since.

There were no instructions or recipe since it was just a collection of photos, but the procedure looked fairly straight forward so I just improvised...


And it has become one of my favorite ways of serving cheese fondue!

If you like these elements, I think you'll like it as well. Just bake the squash and fill the seed cavity with hot fondue, serve along with any items you would like to dip.

It's so simple to prepare, and attractive, too.

The Artist's Fondue
(Fondue in Baked Squash)
Adjust to serve as many as you would like

Preheat oven to 400-degrees (F)

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment and brush with olive or canola oil. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and any fibrous tissue from the seed area. Brush flesh of squash generously with oil; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper.

Place flesh side down (cut surface down) in prepared baking pan, place in oven and bake until just tender when pierced with a skewer. Time will vary depending upon size of the squash, anywhere from 20 minutes to 45. (Perhaps up to an hour if it's a very dense squash.)Check occasionally, if it begins to brown reduce oven temperature to 375 (F).

When squash is just tender turn it flesh side up and allow to bake for a few more minutes.

While squash is baking arrange serving platter with bread cubes, assorted vegetables, and/or meats suitable for dipping.

In the meantime prepare your favorite cheese fondue recipe and keep warm until squash is baked OR do what I do for this recipe ~ buy Swiss fondue in the pouch (it usually can be found in the Delicatessen or Cheese department of the market.) Just gently heat it up, and if you like add a little more kirsch or white wine if you like, garlic, nutmeg, etc. to make it your own. So easy!

Place the baked fondue on the platter, pour the fondue into the squash cavity, sprinkle with a shower of fresh minced herbs if desired and serve. Usually the well in the squash will only hold about 1 cup or so of fondue, so keep the remainder warm and refill as desired.

I place a small knife nearby to cut cubes of the squash for dipping as well. You could use the same technique with smaller squash and serve indivdually if desired.


It's so good, the sweetness of the squash is a perfect complement to the cheesy, slightly nutty flavored fondue. Everyone (who appreciates fondue and squash) seems to love this method.

If you try it, I hope you like it, too.

21 comments:

  1. Great idea, Mary! Looks fantastic! I love the idea of the little packet of fondue to make it easy! I will have to do this next book club at my house!

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  2. Well now that is just too cute. I got two butternut squashes in the veggie box this week and think I just might have to make this. Thanks so much for sharing!

    Becky

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  3. Mary, a big hit in my household! Thanks for sharing.

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  4. you know its our fav! well, umm, the only way scott will even eat fondue!

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  5. I'm salivating!

    I just picked up some Butternut squash at the farmer's market a few days ago. I'll have to see if I can find the fondue in a pouch now :)

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  6. Your Fondue recipe and picture are BEYOND>...I can not wait to try this... Thank you

    Andy
    www.recipebuddys.com

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  7. Mary..you know we love this too because of U..On the menu this week..hope it works in Delicata too..that's what I have.. ! And I want that! I found it so beautiful the first time I laid eyes on it:)
    Thanks again.

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  8. Oh, what a lovely idea! If I ever venture in to the world of fondue, I'm so borrowing it!

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  9. What a cool idea. And we LOVE butternut squash.

    Thanks for the idea.

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  10. what an awesome idea! looks great

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  11. Wow! I'm putting this on the menu for my out-of-town guests next week. I'm also wondering if it might work with a chocolate desert fondue in a pumpkin . . . I love pumpkin chocolate chip cookies so much I might just have to try it.

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  12. This is SUCH a great presentation! Love this idea!!!

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  13. My husband made this for me after a busy day at work (I am a nurse in a correctional facility and he is a retired "educator" so he is the "cook" in our family!).

    The fondue in a bag he bought congealed very quickly, so we had to eat fast.

    Also, he thought it was a bit phallic, but he sometimes behaves like a teenager.

    Overall, good idea! Thanks.

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  14. I really want to make this too! Do you (after the photo shoot) cut the solid part of the squash toe at with the cheese too or save it for another meal?

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  15. How beautiful! Such an elegant and sure-to-be tasty treat. I'm making this for my next party.

    Do your guests eat the squash too or is it just a presentation thing?

    You have a lovely site. This will be the first of many I'm making from here. Thank you.

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  16. I don't remember seeing this on your blog last October, Mari, but I came across it at the Savuer website. It's such an interesting presentation!

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  17. Wow..this sure does look tasty!! Really good actually!!!! but do people usually eat the top part of the butternut squash? I'm going to try this possibly for thanksgiving..but with acorn squash lol...so i can put more fondue in it... :-D

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  18. Thank you for your comments!

    Usually I just share this with the one I love, so we share a half (and eat the squash, too.) I keep the fondue warm and pour more in as needed. If you can find a small squash, it would be perfect to give each person their own half.

    Alexander, I think it would be terrific using acorn squash.


    Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

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  19. I linked this recipe to my blog post today. I had it. It looks so amazing. I love the idea of fondue inside a squash. Genius.

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Thank you for your comments, friends ~ they make my day!

A Sampling of my food . . .

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