Printable Recipe: Rich Gruyere and Spice Fondue Served in a Roasted Pumpkin

Rich Gruyere and Spice Fondue
Served in a Roasted Pumpkin

This is one of those Halloween party appetizers that will never get old. Your guests will love its simplicity and, well... its cheesiness. This is just about as good as fondue gets, and is chock-full of wonderful autumn-y flavors. Too good to be believed.

You can make the fondue up a bit in advance and keep it warm under a very low fire. But it's best to bake up your pumpkin right before serving, or to at least reheat it before serving. The hot pumpkin helps to keep the fondue fluid and hot. Either way, serve this up and let your guests know to start chowing down right away so it doesn't get cold and lose its perfect texture.

The perfect Halloween party appetizer for a dinner party or even a Thanksgiving dinner. Serves about 10-12, depending on how hungry your guests are.

Instructions:
Pumpkin:
1 small pumpkin, opened, cleaned, and seeded
2 tbsp. butter, softened
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cinnamon

Fondue
1 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. emmenthaler cheese, shredded
8 oz. gruyere cheese, shredded
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold water
1 1/2 C. dry white wine (good quality)
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Pinch ground cinnamon
Punch ground smoked paprika

Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare the pumpkin. To do this, combine the butter, cinnamon and nutmeg in a little bowl. Rub this mixture all over the inside of your cleaned pumpkin.

3. Return top to pumpkin, place on a baking sheet, and bake about 30 minutes, until softened.

4. Meanwhile, make the fondue. In a large saucepan, cook the shallots and garlic in oil about two minutes over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, stir together the water and cornstarch until smooth.

5. Stir the wine into you garlic-shallot mixture, followed by your cornstarch mixture. Bring to a simmer.

6. Add the cheese to the mixture bit by bit, stirring constantly. Stir with a zig-zag motion rather than a circular one. This will help to keep the cheese from clumping together into a ball.

7. Heat and stir until all of the cheese is incorporated.

9. Season as desired with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

10. Pour fondue into your roasted pumpkin and sprinkle paprika over.

11. Serve with hunks of crusty bread, sliced apples, crudites, even roasted chunks of sweet potato.