Aged Gouda Fondue with Caraway Croutons

• Recipe by Barbara Lynch

"My friend Natalie’s mother, who lives in Amsterdam, brings me aged Gouda each year," Lynch says. "I wanted to serve it as a fondue instead of on its own as an hors d’oeuvre." For those without an overseas cheese connection, Lynch suggests buying an eight-month-aged Gouda—"Nothing too smoky; just a beautiful, salty Gouda."

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
2. 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
3. 1 baguette (about 12 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes
4. Salt
5. 3 cups heavy cream
6. 1 pound medium-aged Gouda cheese, coarsely shredded
7. Freshly ground white pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small skillet, toast the caraway seeds over moderate heat for about 1 minute, shaking the pan frequently. Add the butter and let it melt. In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with the caraway butter until evenly coated and season lightly with salt. Spread the bread cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast, turning once, until lightly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a basket, reserving 1 teaspoon of the caraway seeds.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, simmer the heavy cream over moderate heat until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Whisk in the Gouda until melted. Strain the cheese sauce through a fine sieve set over a heatproof bowl or fondue pot and season lightly with white pepper. Sprinkle with the reserved caraway seeds then serve hot with the croutons and either toothpicks or skewers.

Make Ahead

The croutons can be stored in an airtight container overnight. Recrisp in the oven if necessary.