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February 2, 2004

Let’s Eat

One of the best books I got for Christmas this year was Winsor McCay’s “Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend,” truly a very strange and wonderful book.

Ever since I finished it, I’ve been craving that titular dish. So last night, I finally went to Central Market and bought some chichi cheese (no regular old cheddar for this fancy gal, thank you kindly) and created a mountain of delicious rarebit (please, not to be confused with rabbit). So, ladies and gents of the recipe circle, with no further ado, I present to you:

Welsh Rarebit with Tomato

2 T butter
3 T flour
2/3 cup beer (I think an ale is called for here. I used Boddington’s.)
a medium sized can of tomatoes, drained in a sieve, chopped and drained again well
5 oz Lancashire cheese, grated coarse (or good sharp cheddar if you can’t find it.)
5 oz Caerphilly cheese, grated (again, sub cheddar if this is unavailable.)
1/2 t English-style dry mustard (such as Colman’s)
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t Tabasco (or to taste)
18 one-inch slices of Italian bread or 12 English muffin halves, toasted
flat-leafed parsley sprigs for garnish
bacon as an accompaniment, if desired

In a saucepan combine the butter and the flour and cook the roux over low heat, stirring, for three minutes. Whisk in the beer and the tomatoes and boil the mixture, whisking, for three minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately low, stir in the cheese, the mustard, the Worcestershire and the Tabasco and cook the mixture, stirring, until it is hot (but do not let it boil). Arrange toasts or muffins on a plate and spoon the cheese mixture on top. Garnish with the parsley and serve with the bacon.

This should serve 5-6 cheese-eaters.

Sadly, it did not give me vivid, phantasmagorical dreams. Happily, it did give me a heavy, cheese belly and a warm, wintery feeling. Also, I got to drink the rest of the Boddington’s in the can, and that helped too. Don’t plan on doing anything after eating this, as it acts something like a Quaalude might.

Posted by pogo at February 2, 2004 6:53 PM