Delicious and legendary Welsh Rabbit
Welsh Rabbit is a recipe from Wales that is simple to make and tastes great. For an authentic tavern-style meal the most important ingredients are cheddar cheese, ale, Worchestershire sauce and toast. The following recipe was handed down to me from an elderly neighbor who was born and raised in Wales and my family and I thoroughly enjoy it.
Makes 2-4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
- 3/4 cup pale ale (ale-type beer)
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon Tabasco
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 dash ginger
- 1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 2-4 bread slices
- optional: fried eggs or tomato slices
*Texas toast-style bread works well if you like thick toast
Instructions
Melt butter in top of double boiler. Add beer, leaving 1 tablespoon in measuring cup, and cheese. Blend seasonings with the remaining beer and add to cheese. Stir in egg. Set the cheese sauce to the side, covered with linen cloth to keep warm.
Fry the eggs or slice the tomatoes.
Toast your bread slices and then place on individual plates.
Uncover your cheese/beer sauce and pour over the toast. Place the fried eggs or sliced tomatoes on top. Serve.
Trivia: Welsh Rabbit is often called Welsh Rarebit, a term coined by certain Englishmen for the tasty dish. At the time the term came into use the English assumed the Welsh were too poor to afford meat, even rabbit, hence they acknowledged the dish as a rare bit of something delicious!
Legends: According to the Welsh one should not overly indulge in the eating of Welsh Rabbit, as to do so invites nightmares. But it is said that in ancient times sorcerers and mages, such as Merlin the Magician, ate Welsh Rabbit during the three sacred days of the full moon in order to have prophetic dreams. Some white witches still carry on the tradition today.
This Hub ©June 2, 2012 by Beth Perry
