Fondue Chinoise

Ingredients

• ¾ lb beef tenderloin or sirloin, trimmed
• ¾ lb boneless pork loin, trimmed
• ¾ lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 6 cups beef or chicken broth, preferably homemade
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 8 oz cornichons or small pickles
• 12 whole pearl onions, peeled
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, such as cremini or button
• 4 cups fresh spinach or other leafy greens
• ½ cup Dijon mustard
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons horseradish, freshly grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 loaf crusty bread, sliced

Instructions

1. 1

   Slice the beef tenderloin, pork loin, and chicken breast as thin as possible — about 1/8 inch thick. The key is to partially freeze the meat for 1 to 2 hours before slicing, which makes it much easier to cut cleanly. Use a sharp chef's knife or a meat slicer, and cut against the grain so each piece is tender and cooks quickly in the hot broth. Arrange each protein on a separate chilled plate.

2. 2

   Prepare all accompaniments: Hull and halve 8 oz of cremini or button mushrooms. Peel 12 pearl onions by blanching them in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then shocking in ice water — the skins slip off easily. Pat the mushrooms and onions dry and place them on their own plate. Arrange 8 oz of cornichons and 4 cups of fresh spinach or other leafy greens on separate plates as well.

3. 3

   Make three dipping sauces in small individual bowls. Sauce 1: Whisk together 0.5 cup of Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons of freshly grated horseradish, and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice until smooth — taste and adjust seasoning. Sauce 2: Stir together 0.5 cup of mayonnaise and 3 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley, then season with a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauce 3: Set out plain Dijon mustard in a third bowl. Slice 1 crusty baguette into thin slices and arrange on a bread basket.

4. 4

   Bring 6 cups of beef or chicken broth, 1 cup of dry white wine, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves, 8 black peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Let it simmer gently for 5 minutes so the aromatics infuse the broth — you should smell the thyme and peppercorn aroma clearly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

5. 5

   Transfer the hot broth to a traditional fondue pot with an alcohol or fuel-based burner, or use an electric fondue pot. The broth should stay at a gentle simmer throughout the meal — not a rolling boil, which toughens the meat and makes the broth cloudy. Position the fondue pot in the center of the table where all guests can reach it comfortably. Arrange the meat plates, vegetable plates, bread, and dipping sauces around the pot within arm's reach of each diner.

6. 6

   To eat, each diner spears a piece of meat or vegetable onto a long fondue fork, fully submerges it in the simmering broth, and holds it there — beef and pork take about 30 seconds to 1 minute (it should be pink in the center for medium-rare), while chicken takes 1.5 to 2 minutes (it should be white throughout with no pink). You'll feel the meat firm up slightly when it's cooked. Once cooked, dip the piece in one of the three sauces, allow it to cool slightly, then eat. Continue until all guests are satisfied, serving bread and vegetables alongside the proteins.

7. 7

   Once everyone is done cooking and eating, turn off the fondue burner carefully. The broth left in the pot, now deeply flavored with meat and vegetable essence, can be poured into individual bowls and served as a light soup course — ladle it into warm soup bowls and garnish with any remaining fresh parsley. This is a traditional Swiss finish to fondue Chinoise and rounds out the meal beautifully.

Tools you’ll need

• sharp chef's knife or meat slicer
• cutting board
• small paring knife
• three chilled serving plates
• four additional serving plates or platters
• fine-mesh strainer or slotted spoon
• large saucepan
• wooden spoon or ladle
• instant-read thermometer
• traditional fondue pot with burner or electric fondue pot
• six long fondue forks
• six small dipping sauce bowls
• soup bowls
• bread basket or serving platter

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