{"id":62,"date":"2014-09-04T14:33:31","date_gmt":"2014-09-04T14:33:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thecherryplumkitchen.com\/?p=62"},"modified":"2014-10-28T15:42:17","modified_gmt":"2014-10-28T15:42:17","slug":"welsh-rabbit-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecherryplumkitchen.com\/?p=62","title":{"rendered":"Welsh Rabbit"},"content":{"rendered":"
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New blog. \u00a0New camera. \u00a0First post.<\/p>\n

It seemed difficult to decide what to begin with – and then the weather turned ‘autumnal’ and I do like my warm jet streams ..!<\/p>\n

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So, comfort food. \u00a0Obvious. \u00a0I’ve been eating Welsh Rabbit all my life. \u00a0Perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch proper, high tea or supper. \u00a0I’ve even served it cut into small squares as a Christmas ‘nibble’ with drinks. \u00a0What’s not to love about molten cheese with a Worcestershire Sauce kick? \u00a0It’s a hug on toast. \u00a0I just love it.<\/p>\n

Having witnessed the bemused expression on our French exchange student’s face, I ought to state upfront this recipe does not include rabbit. \u00a0(And ‘Toad in the Hole’ doesn’t contain toad either \u2026! \u00a0Confusing, yes?<\/p>\n

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My Grandma ‘Dowton’ told me the name was an insult – traditionally rabbit was the meat of the English poor, the suggestion being the Welsh couldn’t afford to even eat that. \u00a0Sounds possible. \u00a0Or, maybe, it was just what a Welshman had for dinner if he didn’t manage to shoot a rabbit??<\/p>\n

Or should it be ‘Rarebit’ and not ‘rabbit’ at all, so the discussion is irrelevant? \u00a0(Whatever a ‘rarebit’ might be.) \u00a0If historical precedence is important to you, ‘rabbit’ appears first – but both have been used for hundreds of years to describe a cheese on toast dish. \u00a0I’m bi-lingual with a childhood induced leaning towards ‘rabbit’.<\/p>\n

The truth is, there are countless ways of making Welsh Rabbit. \u00a0Some are more like a fondue sauce poured over toast. \u00a0Some contain eggs. \u00a0If you separate the yolk from the white and whisk to snowy peaks you produce something more akin to a cheese souffl\u00e9 on toast. \u00a0When I first married my husband I discovered he merely mashed up grated cheese with cold milk. \u00a0It was a shock! \u00a0I put a stop to it. \u00a0Then there’s paprika, cayenne \u2026.<\/p>\n

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For me – I like my Welsh Rabbit to taste of cheese and stay on the toast, hot and bubbly. \u00a0Cheddar is most definitely my cheese of choice, and a strong one at that. \u00a0I tend to go for Montgomery Cheddar when cooking, but, truthfully, any hard English cheese works just fine. \u00a0There are passionate supporters of Lancashire Cheese out there. \u00a0I’m braced for the backlash.<\/p>\n

The choice of bread is far less important. \u00a0Toasted. \u00a0Yes. \u00a0Both sides. \u00a0Personally, I like a ‘country’ loaf, cut thick. \u00a0I’ve used a seeded white loaf here which, I guess, may be a blog for a different day.<\/p>\n

So \u2026 the rabbit.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0I start by warming the milk and the ale together. \u00a0Honesty compels me to own the ale is entirely optional. \u00a0My mum always used all milk but I like the taste of the ale. \u00a0I suspect its inclusion first came about because it was the accompanying drink and, over time, a bit of it got sloshed in the sauce. \u00a0Stout and beer are also good.<\/p>\n

Obviously the easiest way is to zap it in a microwave, but I don’t have one and use a saucepan. \u00a0I go for hand-hot. \u00a0Essentially we’re making a b\u00e9chamel sauce here and there are differing opinions as to whether you need to bother with this stage. \u00a0Aside from fridge cold liquid I’m inclined to think it all works fine, but I tend to warm through if I want to flavour the milk (with an onion, bay-leaves) or when I’m combining with another flavour as here.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>Once it’s warm, tip the ale and milk mix into a jug and get on with making a thick roux. \u00a0If you want to be really technical – after all, the question might come up in a pub quiz sometime and be the difference between winning and losing – it’s a white roux. \u00a0That’s the one used to thicken a creamy\/milky sauce.<\/p>\n

Give yourself a break and use the same pan if you’ve used one to heat the milk\/ale.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0Put the unsalted butter into a saucepan and allow it to melt. \u00a0Unsalted because it keeps you in control of your seasoning but, again, my mum used salted because it was what she could buy. \u00a0So, don’t stress.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0Then add an equal amount of flour. \u00a0Keep stirring. \u00a0You need to cook the flour ‘out’. \u00a0If you don’t your sauce will have a floury taste at the end. \u00a0Not the end of the world, perfectly edible, but not so nice.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0Cook until it starts to froth, but not colour. \u00a0A few minutes only. \u00a0Done.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0With the heat on low, add the liquid in about three goes. \u00a0Slowly. \u00a0Stirring all the time. \u00a0If you try and combine the liquid too quickly you’ll have to put in more work to get a smooth sauce.<\/p>\n

Also, if the liquid is too hot and you add it in a splurge it’s possible to melt the butter in the roux which makes it all a bit greasy. \u00a0If that happens, take it off the heat and give it a good beat with a wooden spoon. \u00a0It will combine. \u00a0Have faith.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0When you have a smooth, thick sauce, turn off the heat below the saucepan.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0Then add the grated cheese and freshly ground black pepper.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0Add a dollop of English mustard and a goodly splash of Worcestershire Sauce. \u00a0(These are technical terms, you understand.)<\/p>\n

Stir. \u00a0Allow the cheese to melt into the sauce and leave to cool. \u00a0That’s the basic Welsh Rabbit topping done and you can get on with the toast.<\/p>\n

Or ‘tweak’.<\/p>\n

Some people seem to like a bit of crispy bacon in their ‘Rabbit’. \u00a0Or tomato ketchup stirred through, which makes it a ‘Blushing Rabbit’.<\/p>\n

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A bit of leek, washed to get rid of any grit, drained and then saut\u00e9ed in butter until soft but not coloured, has a nice Welsh vibe.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>With or without the additions, it’s now time to spread the Rabbit on your toast. \u00a0Go right up to the edges. \u00a0That will stop the bread catching when it’s put under the grill\/broiler or, if you’re me, top runners of the Aga Roasting Oven.<\/p>\n

That’s it. \u00a0Wait until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.<\/p>\n

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Eat. \u00a0A little watercress and some roasted cherry tomatoes ups your fruit-and-veg intake – besides making the plate look pretty. \u00a0May I suggest you drink the left-over ale ..? \u00a0Cook’s perks?<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0Should you have any mixture left over – pop it in a cling-wrap lined dish for another day and\/or midnight snacking. \u00a0It’ll keep quite happily in the fridge for a few days.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0It emerges looking like this. \u00a0Don’t show anyone you want to impress, just spread it on toast and pop under the grill\/broiler. \u00a0It makes for the easiest (and tastiest) Mothers’ Day breakfast in bed. \u00a0You can get your Welsh Rabbit ready the night before – so it’s edible – and that leaves your loved ones with nothing to do but toast the bread while they make your cup of tea. \u00a0What could go wrong?!?<\/p>\n

And, once you’ve had enough of that, how about ..<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0A newly laid egg, softly poached, and plopped on top turns it into ‘Buck Rabbit’. \u00a0Now that really is food fit for the gods.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0And Welsh Rabbit on-the-side makes a bowl of soup feel more like a meal – or so I tell my boys.<\/p>\n

\"WR<\/a>\u00a0Or you could make a rabbit ‘Rarebit’ because \u2026 Well, just because!<\/p>\n

Welsh Rabbit<\/strong> – Serves 4<\/p>\n