Fortnum & Mason's Welsh Rarebit

Rarebit? Rabbit? Rarerabbit? The argument as to correct spelling and pronunciation burns eternal, but all that really matters is Cheddar cheese, mixed with mustard, Worcestershire sauce, a whole egg and a drop of beer. Fortnum’s use Guinness, although any stout or bitter will do fine. This is then slathered over good toast, grilled until bubbling and finished with half a grilled tomato and a shake of Worcestershire sauce. One customer is so enamoured by the dish that whenever he flies in from Santa Barbara, California, he dumps his bags at the Stafford Hotel and rushes over the road for rarebit. Without even checking in. Done well, this dish inspires that sort of devotion.—Tom Parker BowlesReprinted with permission from The Cookbook: Fortnum & Mason by Tom Parker Bowles. Slideshow: More Appetizer Recipes 

Fortnum & Mason’s Welsh Rarebit
Photo: David Loftus
Yield:
4
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Ingredients

  • 4 slices of brown or sourdough bread

  • 2 tomatoes, cut in half

  • Sea salt

  • Coarsely ground black pepper

FOR THE RAREBIT MIX:

  • 4 teaspoons Guinness

  • 1 teaspoon English mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • A few drops of Tabasco sauce

  • 1 egg

  • 250 grams mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

  1. To make the rarebit mix, combine the Guinness, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and egg in a bowl. Add the grated cheese and mix well. Lightly toast the sourdough bread and spread the rarebit mixture on top. Place under a hot grill [broiler] until golden brown, then transfer to an oven heated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for 3 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, put the tomato halves under the hot grill [broiler] until lightly browned. Serve each slice of rarebit sprinkled with sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper and accompanied by a tomato half.

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