Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Using the amber fluid in cooking, and pairing beer with food.

Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby wildschwein » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 10:16 pm

Heres a little something I made recently which goes well with a good German or Czech style lager, although a nice light ale would work too. The Larousse Gastronomique (1984 edition) describes Welsh rarebit as a “British speciality consisting of a slice of toasted bread covered with a mixture of Chesire or Cheddar cheese melted in pale ale with English mustard, pepper, and sometimes a dash of Worcestershire sauce and an egg yolk.” (p. 1149)

Here’s my modern interpretation of that recipe which utilises the same technique of pouring a cheese sauce over bread and grilling it, but this version draws on the strong salty flavours of blue cheese and anchovies. If you think ‘oh god not those vile ingredients’ I promise you that it won’t be what you expect. When you cook all this stuff together something magical happens - even my girlfriend, who performs an animated vomitting motion everytime anchovies are mentioned, loves it. It’s kind of like how the anchovy is not really recognisable in a Caesar salad dressing. However, if you’re really not keen, then just omit the blue cheese and anchovies and use the same weight of just cheddar. Traditionally Welsh rarebit isn’t made with a roux based sauce, rather it’s just cheese dissolved in heated ale, so this is a departure from tradition in more ways than one. But people who enjoy tasty grilled melts with a bold cheese flavour are going to love this - and great with a good beer or two.

Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit by Canaan Perry

Recipe makes around 8-10 toasted rarebits.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic crushed
• 2 cups of beer (perhaps a malty German lager or a light English fruity ale)
• 60 grams of cheddar cheese roughly cubed
• 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
• 80 – 100 grams of Danish style blue cheese roughly broken up
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 4 anchovy fillets finely mashed
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons of chicken stock powder (or 1 stock cube crumbled)
• ½ teaspoon of paprika (smoked paprika is best but not essential)
• ½ teaspoon of finely milled black pepper
• 1 egg
• 10 Slices of decent bread like German rye or white Italian loaf are best

Method

Heat oil over medium heat in a saucepan, add garlic, and sauté until it is fragrant and starts to take on some brown colour. Be very careful not to burn it though. Add flour and stir into oil to make a roux. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon to ensure even cooking. Cook for 2 minutes to a light golden colour: this helps to remove any raw cereal taste in the flour. Begin to add the beer a little at a time, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. The sauce should be quite thick at this stage but not a solid mass that comes away from the side of the pot. If it is too dry add a little more beer - you’re looking for a very thick gravy-like consistency. Begin adding the cheeses, stirring to incorporate them well in to the sauce. Add the mustard and mashed anchovies and stir vigorously until a smooth result is achieved. Add stock powder, pepper, paprika and Worcestershire sauce and mix in until well incorporated. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5–10 minutes while you slice up your bread and turn on your grill. This mix should make about 8–10 large toasted rarebits. When the mix is cooler add the egg and beat in very well. The mix will take on a glossy appearance. The egg also helps the cheese sauce to brown when it is grilled. After heating your grill, toast the bread on one side, then take a very generously heaped tablespoon of sauce and spread it over the untoasted side of the bread, taking it all the way to the edges. Toast cheese side up until a nice brown colour is achieved. A good rarebit always has a few dark brown spots here and there on the cheese coating, however make sure they don’t burn. Serve at once with a green salad and/or fries and of course with a bloody good homebrewed beer to wash it all down. Drinking the beer you cooked with always helps to tie the food and drink together. You could also cut these into small squares and put on a plate, to have as a nibbly with beer - perhaps to eat while watching a game.
Prost!!!!!!!!!!!

My Blog: http://www.myspace.com/canaanperry
wildschwein
 
Posts: 204
Joined: Friday May 11, 2007 9:13 pm
Location: Fremantle WA

Postby ryan » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 7:42 pm

I don`t like cheese :(
ryan
 
Posts: 1177
Joined: Friday Oct 06, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Brisbane

Postby wildschwein » Thursday Jun 07, 2007 2:15 am

oh well
Prost!!!!!!!!!!!

My Blog: http://www.myspace.com/canaanperry
wildschwein
 
Posts: 204
Joined: Friday May 11, 2007 9:13 pm
Location: Fremantle WA

Postby NTRabbit » Thursday Jun 07, 2007 5:49 am

Sounds awesome, I'll have to try it
Het Witte Konijn
NTRabbit
Moderator
 
Posts: 767
Joined: Tuesday May 24, 2005 12:41 am
Location: Adelaide

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby KEG » Thursday Aug 28, 2008 8:05 pm

spam or not (post above mine, probably gonna get deleted soon), i'm glad this topic got dug back up.. when it was originally posted, I was not yet aware that blue cheese tastes awesome :D

definitely going to make this snack soon, get some mates around to watch a game and drink tasty tasty beer.
Image
User avatar
KEG
 
Posts: 1682
Joined: Thursday Dec 21, 2006 9:02 am

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby Chris » Thursday Aug 28, 2008 8:08 pm

That is a power levellingly tasty recipe.
A beer in the hand is worth two in George Bush...

"They say beer will make me dumb. It are go good with pizza"
Psychostick
Chris
 
Posts: 3716
Joined: Tuesday Oct 04, 2005 1:35 pm
Location: Northern Canberra

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby gregb » Thursday Aug 28, 2008 8:55 pm

Blue Cheers and Spam?
No, I do not like blue cheese and spam.

Cheers,
Greg
User avatar
gregb
Moderator
 
Posts: 2620
Joined: Saturday Sep 25, 2004 9:12 am
Location: Sydney

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby Chris » Friday Aug 29, 2008 8:21 am

Well the blue cheese, spam, spam ,spam and eggs doesn't have much spam in it, but we're out of eggs, so you'll have to have an extra serve of spam.
A beer in the hand is worth two in George Bush...

"They say beer will make me dumb. It are go good with pizza"
Psychostick
Chris
 
Posts: 3716
Joined: Tuesday Oct 04, 2005 1:35 pm
Location: Northern Canberra

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby KEG » Friday Aug 29, 2008 7:44 pm

you mean blue cheese, spam, spam, spam and SPAM?

oh, well orrite then.
Image
User avatar
KEG
 
Posts: 1682
Joined: Thursday Dec 21, 2006 9:02 am

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby Kevnlis » Friday Aug 29, 2008 8:11 pm

Wonder what ever happened to wilde? He still posts to his blog...

This one looks real good, I may have a go!

Also:

http://wildschwein.wordpress.com/2007/0 ... bbq-sauce/

mmmm....
Prost and happy brewing!

Image
O'Brien Gluten Free Beer
User avatar
Kevnlis
 
Posts: 3380
Joined: Tuesday Jul 10, 2007 5:15 pm
Location: B-Rat

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby KEG » Friday Aug 29, 2008 8:42 pm

yeah, i think he might've got tired of some of the stuff that was going on here at the time... wish he'd turn up again though - can't get enough recipes :D
Image
User avatar
KEG
 
Posts: 1682
Joined: Thursday Dec 21, 2006 9:02 am

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby Chris » Friday Aug 29, 2008 10:09 pm

KEG wrote:yeah, i think he might've got tired of some of the stuff that was going on here at the time...


I can't imagine what... :roll:

Some good recipies though. I've always wanted this part of the forum to get more posts.
A beer in the hand is worth two in George Bush...

"They say beer will make me dumb. It are go good with pizza"
Psychostick
Chris
 
Posts: 3716
Joined: Tuesday Oct 04, 2005 1:35 pm
Location: Northern Canberra

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby wildschwein » Friday Aug 29, 2008 10:56 pm

Glad you guys enjoyed the recipe. I agree, definitely gives the tastebuds a blast.

Haven't made it for ages; thanks for reminding me.
Prost!!!!!!!!!!!

My Blog: http://www.myspace.com/canaanperry
wildschwein
 
Posts: 204
Joined: Friday May 11, 2007 9:13 pm
Location: Fremantle WA

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby warra48 » Saturday Aug 30, 2008 6:58 am

Nice to see you back Wildschwein. :D :D
User avatar
warra48
 
Posts: 2081
Joined: Wednesday Apr 04, 2007 12:45 pm
Location: Corlette NSW

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby Kevnlis » Saturday Aug 30, 2008 8:40 am

:lol: You must have had itchy ears? Don't post for months until someone asks about you :P
Prost and happy brewing!

Image
O'Brien Gluten Free Beer
User avatar
Kevnlis
 
Posts: 3380
Joined: Tuesday Jul 10, 2007 5:15 pm
Location: B-Rat

Re: Blue Cheese and Anchovy Rarebit

Postby gregb » Saturday Aug 30, 2008 12:04 pm

warra48 wrote:Nice to see you back Wildschwein. :D :D



+1. See you do get some good out of the odd bit of spam.

Cheers,
Greg
User avatar
gregb
Moderator
 
Posts: 2620
Joined: Saturday Sep 25, 2004 9:12 am
Location: Sydney


Return to In the kitchen and at the table

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests

cron