Welsh

[Zosherooney]

Whilst in France recently we came across a 'Welsh'....... We asked and it turns out it is the french take on welsh rarebit. Nothing like the WR that I am familiar with. I can remember my Mum cooking it for lunch sometimes - one of Dad's favourites. No two were ever the same, cheese, onion, mustard, egg. The french ones looked more like a croque monsieur (sandwich).

So what is your take on WR ? Any unusual twists ? Family traditions ?

[Seatallan]

Oooh I love a Welsh Rabbit!

I like to include a slug of beer and a dash of Worcestershire sauce in the mixture but however it comes is fine by me.

[StokeySue]

I looked for a French recipe, Marmiton has many, but most seem to be recognisably un toast topped with something cheesy, so yours may have been a local aberration. Many even use beer (biere brun, dark beer)

http://www.marmiton.org/recettes/recherche.aspx?aqt=welsh

However, I notice that most insert ham between the cheese and the toast, and although many use cheddar, several specify le chester, which as Elizabeth David remarked 60 years ago, is an English cheese known only to the French (Cheshire of course)

[Catherine]

I make a thick roux with beer adding mustard and Worcestershire sauce with the cheese. Toast one side of bread then spread this on the other and grill

[TeresaFoodie]

Being vegan for many years I have never eaten WR or cooked it for anyone else, including my Welsh ex! I have always drooled at the thought of it though so will keep an eye on this thread for ideas.

[Herbidacious]

ah yes. Le Welsh!

Sorry off at a tangent but do you remember the Franco-Welsh restaurant in SN, Sue? I can't remember what it was called.

Back on track, I don't make it often (too lazy) but at the moment it's often on pub menus and I am always tempted.

p.s. I don't think Welsh rarebit is really Welsh, is it?

[earthmaiden]

I always thank that WR, Croque Monseiur etc are rather a faff at home - a lot of washing up for something on toast. However, delicious when out .. you don't see WR on offer often do you?

[karadekoolaid]

Mine´s the same as Catherine´s. Beer, Lea & P, and a thick roux.
You can make a big lot of it, then freeze what you don´t use. I did that for my son´s wedding party - I froze enough for 360 canapes. Works just fine!

[StokeySue]

Sorry off at a tangent but do you remember the Franco-Welsh restaurant in SN, Sue? I can't remember what it was called.

When are we thinking? I'm not sure about the Welsh. Chez Jacques on the High Street or Mesclun on Church Street? Chez Jacques was long time ago so more likely Mesclun,, that all ended in tears

[Herbidacious]

Early 2000s, Sue. About half way up Church St on the left. Might have been where Pronto Pizza is now. It was on a corner. It was a perfect combo for my Welsh Francophile husband!

[StokeySue]

Hmm.. Pronto Pizza has been there at least 25 years, it's a fixture. The other obvious corner site is the strangely popular Cilicia, corner of Defor Road, I can't remember the name of the place there before but that could be it (Cilicia is vaguely middle eastern)
Corner cuts it down, might have been Alastair's in the back of the Defoe pub and later near William Patten School? I'll look on Amir's list of Church Street businesses later

[Ratatouille]

I'm with KK and Catherine, except i also add some mustard. I also like a poached egg on top which makes it into Buck Rarebit.

Quite honestly I don't find making it a faff at all

If you are interested:
https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/201 ... sh-rabbit/

[suffolk]

Mine´s the same as Catherine´s. Beer, Lea & P, and a thick roux.
You can make a big lot of it, then freeze what you don´t use. I did that for my son´s wedding party - I froze enough for 360 canapes. Works just fine!

That's how our local pub used to make it ... there was always a plastic box of it in the fridge. Welsh rarebit was popular with a lunchtime pint.

I always add a beaten egg to my mixture ... it firms it up a bit so that you can spread it thicker without it running off the toast and all over the grill pan as it cooks.

[Seatallan]

I also like a poached egg on top which makes it into Buck Rarebit.

I do that sometimes too. The other thing I've occasionally done is to carefully break open the egg onto the bread and cover it with the roux before grilling. It comes out a bit like a variation on Swiss Eggs.

[Zosherooney]

All these ideas sound lush, I shall be experimenting soon when I am fed up with bread and cheese for lunch and I do have my hens eggs !

[StokeySue]

There's a Gary Rhodes recipe, only made it once should do it again. He makes the cheese mix in bulk and then moulds a piece, rather like working with Plasticine, to cover the bread or fish, he used it to top smoked haddock

Thus seems to be the recipe
https://www.pc-pals.com/smf/index.php?topic=33545.0

@Herbi - I checked Amir's list of all businesses on Chuch Street, before it was Cilical it was Milward's / Park Bar and Brasserie (same prople I think but they changed the name)