The original name for this dish is Welsh Rabbit, and it wasn't necessarily a Welsh dish- here's the Wiki section for anyone who's interested.I like Fowler's summing up: "In his 1926 edition of the Dictionary of Modern English Usage, the grammarian H. W. Fowler states a forthright view: "Welsh Rabbit is amusing and right. Welsh Rarebit is stupid and wrong."
Post a variation on a recipe (like Aioli) and you're slated for not being 'authentic'.
Post an 'authentic' recipe and you're slated for suggesting ingredients that might be hard to find!
cookessentials,
Sep 13, 3:46am
Picky! nah, just real big over inflated ego's methinks.
elliehen,
Sep 13, 4:05am
1926!We're not far off 2026!
Language - and recipes - are constantly changing with use.
The dogs bark and the caravan moves on.
cookessentials,
Sep 13, 4:15am
and sometimes the dogs just bark.
taken from the Welsh food guide above. Welsh Rarebit Recipe THE WELSH FOOD GUIDE
"I am a Welshman. I do love cause boby [sic], good roasted cheese.' First Boke of the Introduction of Knowledge, Andrew Boorde, 1547.
Welsh rarebit is perhaps the most famous Welsh dish of them all and one which, along with Irish Stew and Scottish Haggis, travelled the world over. There is much debate as to where the name derives from. Some say it comes simply from ‘rare' (lightly cooked) and ‘bit' (small portion) others believe it derives from the traditional Welshman's inability to catch a rabbit leaving him to use cheese as a poor alternative!
pickles7,
Sep 13, 7:04am
Welsh Rarebit , is an English take, on, Welsh Rabbit. # don't know where post 5 comes into it. Maybe it was a family members take on cheese on toast.
Welsh Rabbit. Is made using the roux method; flour butter milk mustard powder salt cayenne pepper milk. [beer!] probably safest back then. Worcestershire sauce grated sharp Cheddar cheese.
it is this recipe, we were taught in School.
elliehen,
Sep 13, 7:55am
pickles7, your 'take' on the recipe and the name is only as good as the next one of 134,000 links on Google ;)
Before there are any more foodies in a froth about the recipe or the name Rabbit/Rarebit, here's one more from respected Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage fame - a recipe for a gourmet 'Rarebit' (as he says it's now commonly known).
Leek and blue cheese rarebit Sweet leeks and tangy blue cheese make a richly seductive combination. Serves four.
40g unsalted butter 2 leeks, trimmed, halved, washed and finely sliced 70ml double cream 100-130g blue cheese, crumbled – blue vinney or harbourne blue, say ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 thick slices sourdough bread
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Sweat the leeks with a good pinch of salt until meltingly soft and tender – about 15 minutes. Add the cream and let it bubble for four or five minutes, until thickened. Stir in two-thirds of the cheese until melted, then remove from the heat, stir in the rest of the cheese, the thyme and season.
Lightly toast the bread, pour on the leek and cheese mixture, and pop under a hot grill until bubbling and golden.
elliehen,
Sep 13, 11:18am
I'll bet the 'OTT urge' dissipated as bluetigerrr scrolled down the page!
How about a Lancashire hotpot!
nfh1, did you know this!"This has acquired its name from the time when it was baked at home, then wrapped in blankets to keep hot and provide lunch for a day at the races."
rainrain1,
Sep 13, 7:36pm
It was the first thing I ever made for school cooking, and i still remember the taste.I haven't eaten it since, but must give it a try when I find a recipe which appeals
rainrain1,
Sep 13, 8:42pm
What did I make!Give us a chance, I haven't made all the beds and hung out the washing yet :-) Must look through daughters old school recipe book, there could be a welsh rarebit in there
sarahb5,
Sep 13, 9:03pm
I've never come across a Welsh rarebit recipe that involved making a roux - we made cauliflower cheese at school to learn how to make a roux - and never had one that added flour, etc. although like I said dad used to "cook" his and used beer if he had any to mix it but definitely didn't add flour or cayenne pepper - doubt they would've known much about cayenne pepper in Wales before about 1970 but would've had mustard to hand.I like to think his recipe was fairly close to authentic since he was English and had many Welsh friends.My quick version of Welsh rarebit actually comes from The Dairy Cook Book available from the milkman in the UK!
And as far as authentic goes if I am cooking something from a different country then I do try and make it as traditional or close to the original recipe as I can find, ie. I wouldn't put tasty cheese in Greek salad or tinned salmon in Salade Nicoise.
nfh1,
Sep 13, 9:17pm
I did not know that - like an early slow cooker.I don't remember having Hotpot much as a child, Mum did not like lamb - I think it was quite a greasy meat then.I don't have lamb because I cannot disassociate the fluffy babies jumping in the fields to the meal!
cookessentials,
Sep 13, 9:20pm
You are correct, you dont make a roux for Welsh Rarebit. You make a roux for a white sauce(bechamel sauce etc) Yep, I think that's where my Mum got her recipe.it was always the cream off the top of the mil, mustard, grated cheese and Worcestershire sauce. Takes fantastic and makes a quick and easy snack.
sarahb5,
Sep 13, 9:59pm
It certainly does - we didn't have cream on our milk though - being a city family we had sterilised milk (probably why I hated it - tastes like UHT)
cookessentials,
Sep 13, 10:03pm
Yep, agree.nothing wrong with full cream milk. Cant abide that green stuff, it's like coloured water LOL.
elliehen,
Sep 13, 11:15pm
I remember that infamous 'roo' thread, pickles.
You were hung, drawn and quartered by poster #8 ;)
pickles7,
Sep 14, 12:03am
And by a lot of others. It never bothered me, I had to give them something they could really get there teeth into, lol. Name calling is a sign of a persons " insecurities" . We are suposed to be teaching, our younger folk, name calling, is not exceptable. I feel for some families. it starts with Mum & Dad and Nana's & Grandfather's. I am very secure, We having owned, and operated; a Fast food business, Home Bakery, and, Restaurant.I am well done with all aspects of cooking. On the low side. letting a person go, for not being able to, butter bread. On the high.we don't have to worry about, anything. A Chef's work is HARD, the hours sucked, I loved every day of my working life. We retired early to a life style property, lol, even more work. No staff there.
elliehen,
Sep 14, 12:10am
Your ability to shrug it off is impressive.
I think you even forgave the bee poster for describing you as 'pickled' ;)
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