I remember the first time I had fondue.

It was the seventies, of course, and my mother served it to us one chilly winter evening in an attempt—I presume—to spice up our otherwise run-of-the-mill dining routine.

It was so novel with the skewers and the communal pot, and the illicit, boozy overtones in that creamy cheese.

I was hooked.

Sadly though, a shift towards veganism kept it off my table lo these many years. Imagine my surprise when I discovered Sarah Britton’s vegan take on this seventies classic. It is just as creamy and illicit as the original, but animal friendly and whole lot healthier.

Of course, I had to make it my own by tossing in some alcohol.

Time to bring fondue back!

Skinny Dip White Bean Fondue

• 3 cups canned Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 t/b freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 t/b white miso (do not use dark miso)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. raw honey or pure maple syrup

For dipping, use raw veggies (such as red or yellow peppers, carrots, celery, broccoli, jicama, cucumber or endive) along with hearty bread such as sourdough, pita or na’an, all cut into bite sized pieces.

Combine beans, garlic, nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt, lemon juice, miso, mustard, wine and honey in a blender or food processor and blend on high speed, adding up to 1 cup water as necessary, until totally smooth and creamy. Season with more salt to taste.

Pour contents into a a fondue pot or saucepan that you can set on the table. Heat until just starting to bubble. Remove from heat and serve immediately with veggies and bread for dipping.

Store any leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to five days.

Author: Erica Leibrandt

Editor: Renee PIcard

Image: Keith McDuffee at Flickr