A perfect light lunch or Sunday night supper, Welsh Rarebit is a souped up version of cheese on toast. I have this strange idea that its going to be good on mussels, but I haven't tried it yet.
A good sharp and crumbly chedder is perfect for this dish. When I don't have one on hand I add 1/4 cup of grated parmesan or 1/2 tsp of MSG. Either way, it amounts to the same thing as aged cheeses such as chedder and parmesan are packed full of MSG.
In addition, a
gougere might be a tasty addition to your choice of bread for this dish.
Serves 6 people
1
tbsp butter1
tbsp flour1
tsp English mustard powder1/2
tsp cayenne pepper3/4
cup Guinness1
tsp Worcestershire sauce12
oz strong tasting cheddar cheese, grated6
pieces of toasted bread
In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes until the mixture smells slightly nutty but is not brown. You've just made a
roux.
Add the mustard powder, cayenne pepper, Guinness, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add the cheese and stir until everything melts together into a smooth brown sauce. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool and set.
Slather the mixture on slices of toast about 1/3 inch thick and place the toasts in the oven under a broiler. Broil until the toasts are golden brown and bubbling. Serve while hot.
Variation
Not tested (but I think fabulous), would be a cross between a
reuben and a welsh rarebit. Two slices of thin rye bread, toasted and stuffed with corned beef, then slathered with the welsh rarebit cheese and broiled (kind of like a
Croque Monsieur). A side of sauerkraut would also not go amiss.