Andy Montoya
Blue cheese rarebit is a variation of the classic Welsh rarebit, a dish that consists of sturdy toast topped with a hot, creamy cheese sauce. The classic recipe calls for a hard cheese like Cheddar, but blue cheese rarebit uses blue cheese and sometimes spinach, mushrooms, or tomatoes. The sauce is made by melting butter in a saucepan, stirring in flour, seasonings, and sauces, and then adding milk and beer. The toast is then topped with the sauce and grilled until golden and bubbling. Blue cheese rarebit is a luxurious and filling dish that can be served as a starter, light lunch, or party canape.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Dish | Starter, light lunch, party food canapes, lunch, or brunch |
| Cuisine | British, Welsh |
| Main Ingredients | Blue cheese, bread, egg, milk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, spinach, pickled walnuts |
| Optional Ingredients | Stout, port, white wine, cider, cream, flour, breadcrumbs, chives, spring onions, butter, ale, crème fraîche, olive oil, nettles |
| Nutritional Information | Calories: 418kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 142mg, Sodium: 922mg, Potassium: 262mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 2010IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 253mg, Iron: 3mg |
| Recipe Variations | Use hard cheese like Cheddar, add sliced country ham or crisp bacon, sliced tomato, diced ham, Tabasco sauce, or hot sauce |
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What You'll Learn
Blue cheese rarebit recipe
Blue cheese rarebit is a variation of the classic Welsh rarebit, which has been a staple food in Wales since at least the 1500s. It is a fancy version of cheese on toast, with a smooth cheese sauce flavoured with mustard and beer, served over toast and broiled until bubbly.
Ingredients
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- 85g Danish blue cheese, crumbled
- 3 tbsp double cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Dash of Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 slices of crusty white bread, griddled
Optional ingredients
- Spinach
- Pickled walnuts
- White port
- Dry white wine
- Cider
- Milk
- Rocket
- Mushrooms
- Tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium.
- Place the egg yolk, cheese, cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper into a mini food processor and blend until well combined.
- Toast the bread on both sides, then spread a 1cm layer of the rarebit mixture over the top of each slice.
- Place under the grill and toast for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling.
- Serve immediately.
If you want to add spinach to your rarebit, simply wilt the spinach in some butter in a small saucepan and allow to cool. Then, add the egg, cheese, port, and seasoning, and mix with a fork to make a thin paste. Warm over a low heat until the mixture thickens.
Blue cheese rarebit is a decadent and luxurious dish, perfect as a starter or a light lunch with a green salad.
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Blue cheese rarebit history
Blue cheese rarebit is a variation on the classic Welsh rarebit, which has been a popular dish since at least the 1500s and is known as 'caws pobi' in Wales. The first reference to Welsh rarebit was in 1725, where it was called "Welsh Rabbit", likely a joke name for a dish in an area where meat was too expensive to be eaten daily. By the end of the 18th century, it had taken on the name Welsh rarebit.
Welsh rarebit is a dish of toasted bread topped with a rich sauce of cheese, ale or stout, and often mustard. The classic recipe calls for a hard cheese like Cheddar, but blue cheese rarebit uses blue cheese as the name suggests, with some recipes recommending Shropshire Blue, Cashel Blue, or a mix of blue and hard yellow cheese. The blue cheese is combined with an egg, butter or oil, and ale or port to create a sauce, which is then spread over the toasted bread and grilled until golden brown.
There is a 16th-century tale that adds a humorous twist to the history of Welsh rarebit. In the story, God asks St. Peter how to get rid of the Welsh from heaven. St. Peter marches outside the Pearly Gates, shouting "caws pobi", causing all the Welshmen to run out and claim their share, allowing the gates to be shut behind them.
Blue cheese rarebit is a decadent and luxurious twist on the classic Welsh rarebit, adding a subtle tang of blue cheese that pairs well with the sweetness of pickled walnuts, often served alongside. It is a simple yet sophisticated dish, perfect as a starter, light lunch, or party canapé.
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Blue cheese rarebit vs Welsh rarebit
Blue Cheese Rarebit is a variation of the classic Welsh rarebit, which has been a popular dish since at least the 1500s and is believed to have been a staple food in the South Wales Valleys. Welsh rarebit is a grilled cheese-based sauce made from cheese, flour, beer, and often an added egg, served on toasted bread. It is also known as 'caws pobi' in Wales.
The main difference between Blue Cheese Rarebit and Welsh Rarebit is the type of cheese used. Blue Cheese Rarebit uses blue cheese, such as Cashel Blue, while Welsh Rarebit traditionally uses Caerphilly cheese. However, some sources suggest that Welsh Rarebit can also be made with other types of cheese, such as Cheddar.
To make Blue Cheese Rarebit, you can start by wilting some spinach in butter in a small saucepan. Remove the spinach from the pan and set it aside to cool. Then, add the egg, cheese, and port to the butter and mix with a fork to create a thin paste. You can also add some wilted spinach, rocket, mushrooms, or tomatoes to the mixture for extra flavour.
For the Welsh Rarebit, you can follow a similar process but replace the blue cheese with a hard cheese like Cheddar. You can also add a little mustard and stout instead of port. The rest of the process remains the same for both dishes.
Once the mixture is ready, spread it on toasted bread and place it under the grill until golden brown. The result is a luxurious and filling dish that can be served as a starter, light lunch, or party canape.
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Blue cheese rarebit with spinach
Blue cheese rarebit is a variation on the classic Welsh rarebit, which has been a staple in Wales since the 1500s. It is thought to have originated in the South Wales Valleys as a dish for those who could not afford meat every day. Welsh rarebit, or "caws pobi" in Welsh, is essentially a cheese toastie, but the addition of blue cheese and spinach makes it a more luxurious and filling dish.
To make blue cheese rarebit with spinach, start by wilting the spinach in butter in a small saucepan. Remove the spinach from the pan and set it aside to cool. Next, add the egg, blue cheese, and port to the butter and mix with a fork to create a thin paste. Season with salt and pepper and warm over low heat until the mixture thickens. You can also add some mustard to the egg and cheese mixture if you like.
Meanwhile, toast your bread on both sides. Spread a generous layer of the blue cheese and spinach mixture on top of the toast. Place under the grill and toast until golden brown and bubbling.
For a more decadent version, serve your blue cheese rarebit with slices of pickled walnut, which will provide a sweet tanginess to cut through the richness of the rarebit topping. You can also experiment with adding other ingredients like rocket, mushrooms, or tomatoes.
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Blue cheese rarebit with nettles
Blue cheese rarebit is a variation of the classic Welsh rarebit, which has been a staple food in the South Wales Valleys since at least the 1500s. It is a type of cheese toastie, but with a more luxurious and filling twist.
To make a blue cheese rarebit with nettles, start by heating some olive oil in a frying pan. Add the nettles and cook for about 1 minute, until they are wilted. Allow the nettles to cool for a minute, then roughly chop them. Next, add the nettles to a bowl with crème fraîche, mustard, and half of the blue cheese. Stir in the seasoning and set the mixture aside.
Lightly toast some bread on both sides, then divide the nettle and cheese mixture between the slices. Pile on the remaining cheese and grill until golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.
For an extra special touch, you could serve the rarebit with slices of pickled walnut, which will provide a sweet tanginess to cut through the rich rarebit topping. You could also add wilted spinach, rocket, mushrooms, or tomatoes to the dish.
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Frequently asked questions
A rarebit is a variation on a cheese toastie. Welsh rarebit is a dish that consists of sturdy toast topped with a hot, creamy cheese sauce.
Blue cheese rarebit is a variation of the classic Welsh rarebit that uses blue cheese instead of a hard cheese like cheddar.
Blue cheese rarebit is made with blue cheese, egg, butter, milk, flour, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and bread.
To make blue cheese rarebit, you first blend the egg yolk, cheese, cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Then, you toast the bread and spread the cheese mixture on top. Finally, you grill the toast until it is golden brown and bubbling.
Welsh rarebit has been popular since at least the 1500s and is known as "caws pobi" in Wales. The first reference to it is from 1725, where it was called "Welsh Rabbit". By the end of the 18th century, it was more commonly known as Welsh rarebit.
