Somerset Welsh Rarebit Food

WELSH RAREBIT

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour. Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add beer and whisk to combine. Pour in cream and whisk until well combined and smooth. Gradually add cheese, stirring constantly, until cheese melts and sauce is smooth; this will take 4 to 5 minutes. Add hot sauce. Pour over toast and serve immediately.

WELSH RAREBIT

Steps:

• Put the cheese, butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, flour and pepper into a saucepan.
• Mix well and then add the beer, Guiness or milk to moisten. Do not make it too wet!!
• Stir over a gentle heat until all is melted, and when it is a thickish paste, stop stirring, and swivel it around the saucepan, which it will do quite easily.
• Leave to cool a little, and meanwhile toast the bread on one side only.
• Spread the rarebit over the untoasted side and brown under a hot grill.
• This mixture can be made and kept in the refrigerator for several days if required. Sweet white wine can be used instead of beer and gives a good flavour.
• (From www.welshholidaycottages.com)

SOMERSET WELSH RAREBIT

Steps:

• Toast each muffin half lightly. Heat your broiler. Grate the cheese; it doesn't have to be finely grated, but it makes a difference if it's not freshly grated - don't use the pre-shredded cheese.
• Melt the butter in a small non-stick saucepan, and add the flour to make a roux. Off the heat, whisk in the English mustard, and the milk and cider. Put the pan back on the heat and keep whisking or stirring until you have a thick white sauce (slightly yellow from the mustard). This is a paste more than a sauce and there will not be much of it.
• Add the grated cheese, stirring until it melts and then take it off the heat and divide the sauce between the four lightly toasted muffin halves, spreading each one to cover. Immediately place under the heated broiler until they blister on top and begin to brown in spots. Watch them carefully!

WELSH RAREBIT

Steps:

• Chopped fresh chives, for sprinkling
• Put a skillet over low heat and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Toast the bread in the skillet until the underside is golden brown, a couple of minutes. Turn the bread over, toast the other side, then remove from the skillet and keep warm.
• To make the sauce, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk together until combined. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until the taste of the flour is cooked out, about 2 minutes.
• Pour in the beer and milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps, and cook for an additional minute to thicken. Add the mustard, paprika, cayenne and Worcestershire sauce, then whisk some more. Add the cheese, whisking slowly, and cook until smooth, melted and very hot, a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolk.
• Lay a piece of toast on each plate, spoon the hot sauce over the toast and sprinkle with chopped chives.

WELSH RAREBIT

Steps:

• In a small saucepan gently warm the ale, set aside. Take another small saucepan and over a medium heat melt the butter until it begins to foam, tip in the flour and stir everything together, cooking for 1 min. Whisk in the warm ale in several additions to create a thick sauce then whisk through the cheese to create a thick paste. Stir the mustard, Worcestershire and chives through the sauce.
• Heat a grill to its highest setting. Place the slices of bread on a flat baking sheet and grill on one side until golden brown. Flip the bread over and spread each one with the cheese mixture. Place back under the grill and cook for a further 1-2 mins or until golden brown and bubbling, serve immediately.

CHEESY WELSH RAREBIT

Steps:

• Preheat a broiler.
• Place the bread slices on a baking sheet.
• Place under the broiler and toast, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 30-40 seconds on each side.
• Remove from the broiler.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cheddar and the dark ale.
• When the cheese melts, add the butter, Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and the cayenne, and whisk together until smoothly melted and combined, 1-2 minutes.
• Cut each piece of toast in half, diagonally, and arrange around the edges on a flameproof platter.
• Pour the cheese mixture over the toasts so they are covered completely.
• Place the platter under the broiler and broil until the cheese bubbles and starts to scorch in places, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from the broiler and serve piping hot.