MONDAY MORNING RECIPE - WELSH RAREBIT

There are times when we want something simple and don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  On days such as these we fix cheese on toast and tomato soup. Gregg had been talking about his Mother's Welsh rarebit that she used to give them when they were kids. It was a nice memory for him and as we had never made it before, we went a bit beyond our simple cheese on toast. I found a Welsh Rarebit recipe on YouTube which you can find here. The host goes by the name of The Backyard Chef. He has a lot of interesting dishes I would like to try, and I can certainly recommend this recipe. I recommend viewing this video in case I have missed out any steps.

Welsh Rarebit

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon mustard powder or 1 tablespoon regular English mustard

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) - the chef uses paprika

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup to start with of dark beer, like a stout or porter, as much as you like.

2/3 cup heavy cream

1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

4 slices of thick bread, toasted

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. 

Melt the butter in a pan on medium heat. When it is melted add the all-purpose flour, and blend using a whisk. Cook for two or three minutes to cook the flour. Very important step in my opinion as the taste of raw flour will spoil the dish.

Next add the cayenne pepper (or paprika) if using, the Worcestershire sauce, and half cup of the beer of your choice. He says you can add as much as you like.  Also add the heavy cream and stir until the mixture becomes thickened. Keep an eye on the heat, raise temperature a little if you have to, but keep whisking constantly. Very easy to burn so if it feels like it is sticking on the bottom of the pan, lower heat and carefully lift pan off and to the side of the element if you need to. Once the sauce has thickened you can turn off the heat and it should be hot enough to blend in the cheddar cheese. 

Once the cheese is totally blended, pour equal amounts of cheese mixture over your toasted bread which have been previously placed on a baking sheet. I lined mine with a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Put under broiler in the oven until it is nicely browned.  This only takes a few minutes and once again watch it carefully because it can burn quickly.

We didn't serve it with soup this time and just had as is. It made a very nice light supper. It also would go great with a simple green salad and a bowl of your favorite soup. Gregg added a side of sauerkraut with his. Although it is very good for us, having several health benefits which you can read about here, I am not a fan of sauerkraut and gave it a miss.  

Our changes were that we didn't have any beer so put in a little extra milk (we didn't use cream but had 2% in the fridge and it worked fine). 

I used salted butter instead of unsalted.

The mustard we use is one I grew up with. I have included it below.  

(The additions of Worcestershire Sauce and Coleman’s Mustard gave it a lovely flavor.)

This was one of those impulse dishes where we didn't go to the store and used everything on hand. We also didn't want to add the cayenne or paprika. We will probably make it again with the original ingredients as we are curious how it would differ. To us this tasted great!

The Chef gives a history of this dish.  I always enjoy that and so I have added it below. 

"The history of Welsh Rarebit, formerly known as Welsh Rabbit, is both interesting and somewhat humorous. This traditional Welsh dish is a savory sauce of melted cheese, typically mixed with other ingredients like ale, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, served hot over toasted bread.

The dish first appeared in 18th-century Britain. One of the earliest mentions was in 1725 in a book called "The Art of Cookery" by Hannah Glasse.

The term "Welsh Rabbit" was originally used, and it's believed to be a playful, derogatory term coined by the English. The implication was that due to poverty or simplicity in their diet, the Welsh used cheese as a substitute for the more expensive meats like rabbit. Over time, the name evolved to "Welsh Rarebit," though the reasons for this change are unclear. It's possible that the change was made to avoid confusion, or it may have been a way to make the name sound more refined.

While the dish has its roots in Welsh culture, it became popular across Great Britain. It was often enjoyed as a supper dish in public houses (pubs) and a common feature in home cooking.

Traditional Welsh Rarebit includes Welsh cheese, like Cheddar or Caerphilly, melted into a sauce with ale or beer, mustard, and sometimes Worcestershire sauce or paprika. This mixture is poured over toasted bread and sometimes grilled until bubbly and brown. Over time, many recipe variations have developed, including additions like tomatoes or bacon. 

Welsh Rarebit has become more than just a simple dish; it symbolizes Welsh identity and pride. It's often served in Welsh-themed meals and on St. David’s Day, the National Day of Wales."

A memory: when years ago I worked in a small British tearoom, two ladies walked in.  As soon as I overheard one of the ladies speak, I told her she was the first person from Wales I had met since moving to America. She looked at me in surprise as she had lived here longer than I had, and said that I was the first person to ever identify her as Welsh. She was delighted! I told her that my grandmother on my father's side had the name of Jones, and I had always thought I had a bit of the Welsh. She studied me for a minute and said, "Yes, I can see a bit of the Welsh in you." I was in turn delighted as considered it a great compliment. I was invited to sit down for a while and as the tearoom was very quiet, I indulged myself in a bit of rest time and great conversation. This really was too good an opportunity to miss. We had a lovely time chatting, they eventually left and I got back to work. Sadly they were only in the area a short time and on vacation. Years later when Gregg got into our ancestry, he found that some of my roots did originate from Wales, and I went back to the conversation I had with this lady.  It is a very nice memory.