How to pre-cook steak and shrimp for fondue?

Question

I am making a swiss cheese fondue this evening. I am serving with it veggies, potatoes, breadsticks, shrimp, and sliced sirlion. I will be pre-cooking the shrimp and steak. What are your suggestions on how to do it? Boil, grill, pan sear, broil, etc. I also want to get some added flavor into each. Thoughts?

Answer 1

As sly stated, you wouldn't usually use shrimp and sirloin in a cheese fondue, but if you're going to, then here's how I'd do it. for the shrimp, I think the most effective way would be to make a court boullion. get a pot of water, and add to it, a few ribs of celery, coarsely chopped, a couple carrots, coarsely chopped, and two onions, large dice. then add about a handful of whole black peppercorns, a generous sprinkling of salt, two bay leaves, some parsley stems if you have any, a clove or two, and a dash of white wine if you have any, if not, don't worry about it. let it all come to a boil, and then add your shrimp. count to 90, and take your shrimp out immediately, and cool immediately to prevent further cooking. for your steak, I'd want the steak to have it's own distinct flavor, that would also meld with the cheese fondue. make sure your steak is at room temp, and dry it with a paper towel. get it as dry as you can, so it will get a nice caramelization. season generously with Salt and freshly ground black pepper. heat up your pan, and once hot, add even parts extra virgin olive oil, and butter. once your pan lightly begins to smoke, add your steak. when your steak is nice and golden brown on one side, about 3-4 minutes, flip it over, and reduce heat by about 1/4. you're shooting for in between rare and medium rare, I'd say, because the steak is going to cook a bit more when dipped into the hot fondue. so, when you're close to it being done, you want to throw into the pan a couple crushed garlic cloves, some fresh thyme sprigs, and a few pats of butter. tilt your pan so you have the butter, thyme and garlic all down by you, and the steak at the other end, just barely off the burner. now, with a spoon, you want to start basting the steak with the butter, but do it very quickly, because you want to caramelize the steak with the milk solids of the butter, and the thyme and garlic just give it that extra kick. do this until the steak is done. it's delicious. the term in french for this is arroze.

Answer 2

I am having a fondue party tonight too! Hosting it for 5 12 year old little girls. We do this often-tonight we are doing alfredo and spagetti (two that I never thought of before) We are using cheese tortilinni, cheese cubes, garlic potato, brocoli and bread for dunkers.(just passing this on to give you an idea for future) As for your steak, if it is a tender cut of sirloin, you could just broil or pan sear it (I would cook it just medium rare) Try marinating in a dry rub of salt, pepper, herbs, seasonings and a little worceschire or soy sauce for an hour before cooking. For the shrimp, I would boil them quickly in water with the juice of a lime , lemon, or orange and some herbs and seasonings. Pan searing the shrimp would make them a bit greasy, which will leave oil in the cheese sauce when dunked, and would not look too attractive. Also, boiling the shrimp will make them hold up better to the sauce. I hope you have a great time! oh, am I invited? lol

Answer 3

For the shrimp I would either steam them or pan fry them with a little butter and lemon pepper or butter and lemon juice

For the steak if you are wanting the fat not to be so high just add spices and broil it with a broiling pan if you do not have one use a cooling rack that will fit in a cookie tray


For the spices I like garlic Powder not the salt onion powder

and some times I use lemon pepper and sea salt

Montreal steak spice

Or what ever spices you like and when broiling the flavors do not mix so you can cut up the steak before hand and flavor them in different ways

Answer 4

A cheese fondue is not the type of fondue you want to cook meat, shrimp and veggies in.
Generally, you will dip a baguette cut up in pieces in a cheese fondue.

The type of fondue you want for meat, shrimp and veggies is usually with some type of flavoured broth or oil like a fondue bourguignonne aka beef fondue.

And you do not precook the ingredients for a fondue bourguignonne.

Answer 5

just sautée with salt and pepper this way the dippers know what the stuff tastes like without the cheese and will not flavor the cheese and make it taste weird.

Answer 6

I DONNO I AM VEGGITARIAN