Argentina needed extra time to get past Switzerland, but they didn’t need any help finding their way to the semis. After a cagey first half, Breel Embolo found himself on the wrong side of VAR’s mistaken identity check — sent off for a dive he didn’t make after Switzerland challenged someone else. Ten men, 90 minutes, a goalless deadlock. Then extra time arrived, and Julian Alvarez turned the Kansas City Stadium into La Bombonera with a screamer from outside the box. Lautaro Martinez added insurance, and Argentina booked their spot against England.
Two footballing cultures on a plate: Argentina’s obsessive love of grilled meat meets Switzerland’s commitment to melted cheese. Asado is a way of life — a social ritual, a philosophy, a reason to invite people over and pretend you planned it. Fondue is the opposite: communal, deliberate, and slightly expensive. Both are dishes that demand you spend time with other people. Let’s merge them.
The Concept: Asado Fondue
Here’s the idea: Argentine chimichurri-infused fondue with skewered steak strips for dipping, served alongside Swiss rösti crisps and a side of dulce de leche fondue for dessert. The savoury pot is a Gruyère-and-Emmental base cut with red wine and chimichurri — herbaceous, garlicky, and enough of a kick to wake up the cheese’s natural sweetness. The meat is sirloin, cut into bite-sized skewers, seared on the BBQ but not cooked through — you finish it in the fondue. It’s asado meets Swiss cheese, and it works because both cuisines treat meat and cheese as equals, not sides.
Ingredients
The Fondue Pot
- 200g Gruyère, grated
- 100g Emmental, grated
- 1 bottle dry white wine (450ml) — or red wine if you want to commit fully to the Argentine side
- 2 cloves garlic, halved
- 2 tbsp fresh chimichurri (see below)
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 shot kirsch (optional, but traditional)
The Chimichurri
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
The Steak Skewers
- 800g sirloin or flank steak, cut into 4cm strips on wooden skewers
- Salt, pepper, and a splash of olive oil for the grill
The Rösti Crisps
- 4 large potatoes, grated
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp oil for frying
- Salt and pepper
Dessert: Dulce de Leche Fondue
- 1 tin dulce de leche (approx 397g)
- 100ml cream
- Dried manjar (Swiss dried fruit) or fresh strawberries for dipping
Method
Step 1: The Chimichurri
Mix the parsley, oregano, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and chilli flakes in a bowl. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes — chimichurri improves with time, just like a good grudge.
Step 2: The Fondue
Rub the inside of a fondue pot with the garlic halves. Add the wine and bring to a gentle simmer. Sprinkle the cornflour over the grated cheese (this prevents clumping), then stir in the cheese gradually until melted and smooth. Fold in the chimichurri and kirsch. Keep on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: The Steak
Season the skewered steak with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Grill over high heat for 60 seconds per side — you want a charred exterior but rare in the middle. The meat will finish cooking in the fondue, so don’t be tempted to cook it through now. That’s not how either of these cultures do things.
Step 4: The Rösti Crisps
Squeeze excess moisture from the grated potatoes (a tea towel works). Fry with the onion in a hot pan until golden and crisp on both sides — about 4-5 minutes per side. These are your alternative to bread for dipping into the fondue.
Step 5: Serve
Ladle the chimichurri fondue into individual pots or one large communal one — Switzerland would say communal, Argentina would say whatever gets the cheese to your mouth fastest. Skewer your steak strip, dip it in the fondue until cooked to your liking, and eat it with the rösti on the side. It sounds chaotic but the flavours balance beautifully: the cheese is rich, the chimichurri is bright and garlicky, the steak is smoky and tender.
Step 6: Dessert (Because Why Not)
Warm the dulce de leche with the cream in a small pot until pourable. Serve with Swiss dried manjar or fresh strawberries for dipping. It’s the same communal format, but the mood has shifted from “competitive grilling nation” to “sweet tooth nation” — and honestly, both Argentina and Switzerland qualify for the latter.
Why This Works
Argentina and Switzerland shouldn’t be culinary bedfellows — one lives for fire, the other for the gentle simmer. But both treat food as a social contract. Asado isn’t just dinner; it’s the entire Saturday afternoon. Fondue isn’t just melted cheese; it’s a shared experience where nobody eats until everyone’s served. The chimichurri cuts through the richness of the cheese in the same way red wine traditionally does, and the steak strips give you the asado experience without needing a whole afternoon and a wood-fired grill.
Argentina booked their semi-final spot the way they always do: patience, resilience, and a moment of individual brilliance when it matters. Alvarez’s extra-time strike was the kind of goal that makes you forget about football analytics entirely. Switzerland — or what was left of them after Embolo’s red card — fought hard but ran out of men. England await in the semis, and the kitchen gets the same treatment.
Sources: FIFA.com match report, BBC Sport highlights, Sky Sports analysis.
