Somerset Welsh Rarebit Recipes

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!

TRADITIONAL WELSH RAREBIT

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan oven low heat. Add flour and whisk for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour. Whisk in Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper until very smooth. Whisk in beer. Pour in heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Add Cheddar cheese gradually, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Remove cheese sauce from the heat and let cool, about 5 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks.
• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Toast bread slices on 1 side. Arrange on a baking sheet with the untoasted side facing up. Spoon cheese sauce over the untoasted side.
• Place under the preheated broil until bubbling and golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

TRADITIONAL WELSH RAREBIT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven grill.
• Combine cheese, ale, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper in a pot over very low heat or in a double boiler.
• Melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth and well mixed.
• Spread mixture on bread, and heat under the grill for about 1 minute and serve, or spread on toasted bread and eat immediately.

REAL WELSH RAREBIT

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat; blend in the flour, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce; continue cooking and stirring until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; gradually stir in the milk; return to heat and stir continually until the mixture comes to a boil. Slowly pour in the beer; cook 1 minute more while still stirring. Melt the Cheddar cheese into the mixture in small portions until completely incorporated. Remove from heat.