Brie & Mushroom Fondue

1½ pounds Brie 3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided 1 small shallot, peeled and halved 6 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and chopped (quartered if they are on the larger size - they should be no larger than 1 inch) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2½ cups dry white wine,* room temperature, divided (note: you may not need all of the cider) 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Use a sharp knife to remove the rind from the Brie. Cut or tear the Brie into ½-inch cubes. Put into a large bowl and toss with 2 table spoons of the cornstarch to fully coat. Reserve.

2. In a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, chop the shallot. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl and add the mushrooms. Pulse until finely chopped, about 10 to 20 pulses.

3. Put the butter in the fondue pot and set to Setting 4. Once butter is melted, add the chopped shallot and mushrooms. Stir and cook until the mushrooms are fully softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Add 1 cup of the wine and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and bring to a simmer (but not boiling).

5. Once the wine begins to simmer, reduce the temperature to Setting 3–3½. Slowly add the cheese, about ¼ to 1⁄3 of a cup at a time. Use a nonstick whisk (such as a silicone-coated one) to work the cheese into the liquid. Once the cheese is fully melted into the wine, gradually add more cheese, little by little, alternating with the wine as you go, about 1⁄3 to ½ cup at a time. This ensures that the consistency of the fondue will be nice and creamy. (The wine keeps the cheese fro separating and from becoming stringy).

6. Once all the cheese has been added (most of the wine will be incorporated as well, but you may have up to ½ cup remaining) make a slurry of the remaining cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the wine by stirring the two together until homogenous. Add the slurry to the fondue and whisk to fully combine. If the fondue is too thick, whisk in additional wine.

7. Reduce the temperature to Setting 3 for serving. The fondue should just simmer, but never come close to boiling. Serve with cubes of crusty bread and blanched vegetables.

*For an alcohol-free version, substitute chicken stock plus 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for the wine.