There are not many things I miss about Britain after eleven years in Andalucía. The weather, obviously, not. The traffic, certainly not. Cheese on toast, however — proper cheese on toast, bubbling and golden under the grill — that is what I do miss. The result was a Swiss rarebit recipe that bore no resemblance to the pale, rubbery school dinner version and every resemblance to something you'd actually want to eat.
This Swiss rarebit recipe came about by accident. I had Emmental and Gruyère in the fridge, earmarked for a fondue that never happened. I had Khorasan bread — made with Khorasan (Kamut) flour, slightly nutty, and excellent for toasting. I did not have stout, which a proper Welsh rarebit demands, so lager stepped in instead. Welsh Rarebit purists may object. They are welcome to.
The result was a pimped cheese on toast that bore no resemblance to the pale, rubbery school dinner version and every resemblance to something you'd actually want to eat.
A note on the name: the original is Welsh rabbit, which contains no rabbit whatsoever and never did. The name change to Rarebit came later, presumably to avoid confusion. Mine uses Swiss cheeses, so Swiss rarebit it is.
Swiss Rarebit – What You Need
(serves 1)
- 40g Emmental, grated
- 40g Gruyère, grated
- 1 small egg
- A dash of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Lager — enough to loosen the mixture without making it sloppy
- A shake of white pepper
- A shake of cayenne pepper
- 2 slices of good bread — Khorasan if you have it
Method
Mix the Emmental, Gruyère, egg, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and a little lager together in a bowl until you have a thick, spreadable paste. Add the lager gradually – you want it loose enough to spread but not sloppy.
Toast the bread, then spread the cheese mixture generously over each slice.
Place under a hot grill until the cheese is melted, bubbling and beginning to colour at the edges. Watch it — it goes from perfect to overdone quickly.
Eat immediately.
For another way to dress up a slice of bread, my Posh Fried Bread: Sourdough, Tomato & Garlic takes a different, garlickier route.
This recipe is part of my Cheese Hub collection.
Wonky photos, proper cheese, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef
