Camembert spinach fondue

This is a home-movie-night favourite that always garners rave reviews. To jazz up our go-to order of creamy spinach dip, I thought, why not toss a wheel of Camembert in there and call it fondue? Serve it up with toasted baguette slices for dunking!

Camembert spinach fondue. Credit: Mary Makes It Easy / Geoff George

• serves

  6

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 baguette, thinly sliced
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, two minced, one cut in half
• 28 g (about 1½ tbsp) unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• ½ tsp dry Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 200-225 g cooking spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• ⅓ cup (40 g) oil packed sundried tomatoes, diced
• ¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine
• 250 g Camembert cheese, cubed
• 1½ tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1½ tbsp chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 230°C (450°F).
2. Lay the baguette slices onto a large sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden brown. Rub both sides of the bread with the cut garlic. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, place a cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add in the butter. Add in the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until tender and lightly golden. Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and nutmeg and cook for 30 seconds. Add the spinach, cover the pan with a lid or a baking sheet, and allow the spinach to wilt down for about 1 minute.
4. Stir in the lemon zest, sun-dried tomatoes and wine and cook for 1 minute to slightly reduce.
5. Scatter the Camembert on top and transfer the pan to the oven. Turn the grill (broiler) on to high and grill (broil) for 4 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Scatter with the herbs and serve hot from the oven with the crispy baguette for dunking.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.