Strangely this has nothing to do with Rabbit at all!
It is a wonderful cheese on toast dish, great for lunch or on a cold night as a supper.
You will need:
1oz of butter
1/2oz of flour, normal plain flour.
1/4 of a pint of good milk.
4oz of mature cheddar cheese, although you can use any good cheese that grates and melts.
1 egg yolk.
4-5 tablespoons of beer, preferably pale ale or bitter.
pinch of salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
Good dose of Worcestershire sauce.
1 tsp of English mustard (Colmans). If you can't get this add a less hot mustard but more cayenne.
This makes enough for two slices of bread, so obviously if you need more double it etc.
To make it, this is where the fun starts.
Melt the butter in a pan (gently), add the flour and stir in with a spoon, cook on a gentle heat for a few minutes, but don't brown it!
Slowly add the milk, mixing to a smooth sauce. Classic white sauce.
Now allow this to simmer for another couple of minutes, then add the grated cheese, although if you have not got a grater you can slice it and cut into small lumps.
Now allow it to melt ever so slowly, until smooth, remove from the heat and add the egg yolk, stirring it in.
In a small pan boil the beer and allow it to reduce to1/2 teaspoon, then add this and all the other ingredients, into the cheese mixture stir and allow it cool. if you can wait that long!
Then get two slices of bread, toast one side under the grill, whip it out and spread and butter the non toasted sides (optional). Spread the cheese mixture over both slices and replace under the grill. You can put it on a baking tray if you are worried about the grill getting messy.. Then brown it, do not burn it.
Notes:
Beer when boiled contains no alcohol, as it burns off!
If you do not like mustard, you can grate onion into the mixture, when you add the cheese, or use both!
You can also add herbs if you so wish.
Some people place some sliced tomato's on the top whilst grilling it.
Although that is not the purists way of course.
There is another version of this called "Buck rarebit," which is made exactly the same, but a poached eggs is put on the top of each slice.
Very filling!
Regards from England.
Neil.
