Blue Cheese Fondue with Cherry Tomatoes and Roasted Cipollini Onions

Ingredients

• 4 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 0.5 pound cheese blue crumbled (recommended: Pt. Reyes)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes 
• 1 pound cipollini onions 
• 1.5 teaspoon thyme sprigs fresh chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic minced
• 2 cups cup heavy whipping cream 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin extra-virgin
• 4 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon butter unsalted

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• knife
• pot
• skewers
• wooden skewers

Directions

1. Special equipment: Wooden skewers
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
3. Using a small paring knife peel and halve the cipollini.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat until hot but not smoking.
5. Add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Caramelize the onions over high heat for about 5 minutes, transfer pan to the oven and continue to cook for about 8 to 10 minutes until the onions are nicely caramelized and fully cooked throughout, remove from pan to a plate and let cool slightly. Arrange the cherry tomatoes and onions on a platter with skewers for dipping.
6. In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter and cook until it is just beginning to brown. Immediately add the thyme and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to prevent the garlic from browning.
7. Add the cream, raise the heat to medium, bring to a slow simmer and reduce the cream by 1/3, about 2 minutes.
8. Add the cheese and stir until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth, season, to taste, with pepper.
9. Pour the sauce into a fondue pot and set over a candle to keep hot.
10. Place the platter of veggies and skewers alongside and serve immediately.