Seasonal Pantry: A local take on Welsh Rarebit

Ask almost anyone to name their favorite comfort foods and before long - typically after chocolate and ice cream - grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese or some other form of melted cheese will make the list. For those with savory preferences, it may even top the list.

From a simple quesadilla, grilled cheese sandwich or pizza to raclette, fondue, queso fundido and all manner of cheese sauces, melted cheese pleases an enormous swath of people, including vegans, who create non-dairy versions of favorite cheese dishes using soy cheese and nut cheese.

One category of cheese dishes that we don’t hear much about these days are the ones known as “rarebit” or “rabbit,” the most familiar of which is Welsh Rarebit. According to several sources, the dish was popular as early as the 14th century and was first known as “rabbit,” not “rarebit.”

Why rabbit? There is no authoritative explanation but it may have developed out of a common practice to use the word “Welsh” to indicate something inferior or fake. Thus the dish, which contains no meat, became known as Welsh rabbit, a dismissive and patronizing moniker. By the 19th century, rabbit had evolved into “rarebit,” which is more common today though both terms are used.There are many versions throughout Great Britain, some that are simple bread topped with cheese and set under a broiler and some quite elaborate. Irish rarebit may include onions, pickles, vinegar and fresh herbs. English rarebit uses red wine in place of beer or milk and American rarebit folks in beaten egg whites.

I’ve taken a few liberties with traditional recipes to craft versions using local cheeses that I most enjoy. A rarebit is a lovely meal to share on a week night; all you need is a big salad and something good to drink alongside.

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This dish has been enjoyed for centuries and has countless passionate advocates for their preferred versions. Some call for milk instead of beer, some use an egg yolk instead of a whole egg and many do not include hot sauce. Some variations have regional names, such as the first one listed below the main recipe, which is known as Yorkshire Rarebit. If you love Guinness, this is a perfect way to use it, as it wants a rich dark beer. If you have pullet eggs, use one here as the eggs from these young chickens have a larger percentage of yolk and offer a lovely richness to the dish.<>

Almost Classic Welsh Rarebit, with Variations

Serves 6 to 8

1 teaspoon mustard powder, such as Colman’s

1 tablespoon butter, preferably local

1 cup beer of choice

1 pound cheddar or similar cheese of choice, grated

1 farm egg, beaten

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco, Crystal or other hot sauce of choice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

- Black pepper in a mill

6-8 thick slices of lightly toasted and buttered hearth bread

Put the mustard powder in a small bowl, add a teaspoon of cold water, stir and set aside.

Pour about an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler and set over high heat. When the water boils, lower the heat so that it simmers very gently. Set the top half of the boiler over the bottom half and add the butter.

When the butter is melted, add the beer and when it is hot, stir in the cheese. When the cheese is just melted add the egg and stir well. Add the Worcestershire sauce, the mustard paste, the salt and several turns of pepper. Stir and remove from the heat.

Working quickly, set the bread on individual plates, spoon the cheese mixture over each piece and serve right away.

Variations

Before preparing the rarebit, fry 6 to 8 slices of bacon until crisp; drain on absorbent paper. Fill a wide sauté pan with water, add a teaspoon of white wine vinegar and set 6 to 8 eggs alongside the stove. When the rarebit is ready to serve, hold it over the gently simmering water while you poach the eggs. Working quickly, divide the bread among the plates and top with a piece of bacon. Spoon cheese on top and use a slotted spoon to lift each egg, shake off the poaching water and set it on top of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away, with more hot sauce of choice alongside.

For Sonoma Rarebit, replace the Cheddar with Joe Matos’s St. George cheese, Bellwether Carmody or another North Bay cheese and use your favorite local beer.

Top each serving with fresh snipped chives or chopped fresh Italian parsley.

Before setting the bread on plates, add a generous handful of fresh salad greens seasoned with a little salt.

Omit the mustard powder. Add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon hot paprika along with the salt. Sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro on top just before serving.

Use lightly toasted rye bread and scatter each serving with lightly toasted caraway seeds after spooning the cheese over the bread.

Sauté a pound of wild mushrooms in butter, season with salt and pepper and spoon over the cheese immediately before serving.

When tomatoes are in season, top each piece of bread with a thick slice before adding the cheese.

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Without Traverso’s Market, I have a hard time making one of my favorite cheese dishes, as I cannot always find Caciacavallo, especially smoked. Scamorza and good Provolone, two traditional substitutes for the Sicilian cheese, can be hard to find, too. Recently, I used smoked mozzarella from Oliver’s Market and it was absolutely delicious. You’ll find a photo of the dish along with other cheese recipes at “Eat This Now” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. Enjoy this as an appetizer or, should you find yourself in an indulgent mood, add a big green salad alongside and serve as dinner for 2 to 3 people. In Sicily, this dish is called “formaggio all’argentiera,” or silversmith’s cheese, and it is both ubiquitous and delicious.

Sicilian-Inspired Smoked Mozzarella with Vinegar & Oregano

Serves 6 to 8

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1½ pounds smoked mozzarella, in ½-inch-thick rounds

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 2 teaspoons dried oregano

2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 loaf of rustic hearth bread or 1 baguette, hot

Heat the olive oil in a heavy frying pan --cast iron or heavy non-stick is ideal--over medium-low heat, add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Use tongs to remove the garlic, set the cheese in the pan in a single layer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Use a metal spatula to quickly turn the cheese over and cook until it is on the verge of melting completely, about 2 minutes. Working quickly, sprinkle the oregano and the vinegar over the cheese, cook 1 to 2 minutes more and then transfer cheese in its pan to the table, setting it on a trivet or thick pot holder. Serve immediately, with hot bread alongside.

Michele Anna Jordan has written 19 books to date, including the new “More Than Meatballs.” Email Jordan at catsmilk@sonic.net. You’ll find her blog, “Eat This Now,” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.