New York Makers Contributor Rebecca Moore is the Founder of Hudson Valley Vegfest and Institute for Animal Happiness. This recipe has been adapted by Moore for New York Makers.
Photographs provided by Rebecca Moore
Prep time: 20-25 minutes
If you like fondue, your heart is going to melt over this recipe! When you make this easy dish, you are going to want to light a few candles, pour yourself a glass of wine, grab a friend (or a few), and gather everyone ‘round, bread cubes wielded on skewers, for a vegan fondue party! You won’t believe this is non-dairy in that it “hits all the high notes” you would expect out of the traditional fondue experience: warming, rich, feel-good, and delicious right down to that last bite you will be greedily mopping out of the bowl with pieces of baguette.
The genius main-ingredient bedrock of this recipe? Drumroll, please: OATS! That’s right...The very same oats that comprise your morning oatmeal. But this is basically oatmeal dressed up in couture evening wear.
While I have tweaked the recipe over the years to make it sing for our taste buds here at Institute for Animal Happiness headquarters, the basis of this recipe is from a truly ground-breaking cookbook years ahead of its time: The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by vegan pioneer and author Jo Stepaniak.
It is fairly inexpensive and super easy to make — you’ll just need a blender or cuisinart, and a pot to heat everything up. That, and about 20-25 minutes of your time. This recipe has all the oooey, gooey, wine-and-dijon-infused nirvana of the traditional Swiss version, but with a fraction of the fat and cholesterol. And this is 2020: more and more people are wanting to leave Mama cows and their sweet calves to be at peace and unbothered in the fields, since any lactating cows really need that milk for their own children. The toll of animal agriculture on our precious environment and natural resources is an extremely serious conversation spreading in the world’s collective consciousness as well. We are seeing a virtual tsunami of vegan magic and innovation from the culinary sectors, and more and more people are discovering they can veganize virtually all of their favorite recipes into healthier versions! This recipe is a serious homage a fromage — so I hope you enjoy it.
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups Dry White Wine
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes (affectionately called “Nooch” by vegans everywhere! It can be found in the bulk section of most health food stores, or inquire if the bottled kind is available at your favorite supermarket.)
1/3 cup Rolled Oats (the “quick cooking” kind is fine or whatever is in bulk at your local health food store)
1/4 cup Tahini
1-2 cloves fresh Garlic (you will tweak this in time to suit your own taste. Start with one.)
4 tablespoons of Arrowroot Powder (a natural thickener, found at health food stores. Cornstarch can be substituted.)
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice (fresh is always best, but the bottled kind can be substituted)
2 tablespoons Onion Powder
2 tablespoons of a light Miso Paste (a light colored miso, like chickpea miso, is best)
1 tablespoon Sea Salt (finely ground, not course)
2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground WHITE Pepper (white pepper has a unique flavor profile that really helps “make” this recipe; however, in a pinch, you can use finely ground black pepper instead.)
For dipping:
At least one good quality baguette or loaf of your favorite bread, cut into dipping-sized chunks or cubes.
Your favorite vegetables and fruit, cut into crudite-sized pieces for dipping. Try broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, red peppers, and apple slices, just to name a few.
Optional as garnish on the side: a bunch of your favorite grapes, and any of your favorite pickles such as cornichons, pickled small onions, etc. are delicious to eat in combination with your fondue!
INSTRUCTIONS (Get ready — it is so easy!):
- Pour ALL INGREDIENTS carefully into a blender or big cuisinart basket (dry ingredients first: spices and powders, oats, and the garlic clove(s); then carefully pour liquids in last). We use a vitamix, but any blender should do the job. Blend vigorously, pausing at some point to scrape the sides and bottom up, to ensure that everything is fully chopped and blended until a really creamy and smooth consistency.
- Carefully pour the mixture into a large soup or stock-type cooking pot, and cook over medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring. Keep an eye on it as it thickens and thickens, so it doesn’t burn.
- When the mixture is a nice thick fondue consistency, pour into a regular serving bowl — or, if you are fancy, an actual fondue pot with candle holder underneath to keep it warm.
Everybody, raise your fondue forks and dig in!
NOTE: You will want to tweak this recipe in time to suit your own taste buds, i.e. more or less wine, mustard, garlic, etc. It is so easy to personalize and adapt. If you use a real fondue serving bowl with heat, it may start to thicken too much; just add a little more water (or wine!) and stir in. If you like this recipe and by some miracle have any left over the next day, it is actually delicious as a spread on your favorite sandwich for lunch. We’ll even spread it on toast the next morning with a slice of avocado and tomato (that is, in the extremely rare chance there is any left over.) We often make a double recipe knowing how popular it is. If you double the recipe, it should still all fit in your blender.
Be sure to check out Moore's "Hint O' the Sea" Un-tuna Salad Recipe too!
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