Welsh Rarebit

Welsh Rarebit (Caws Pobi)

A classic British comfort dish of sharp Cheddar melted with ale, English mustard and Worcestershire sauce into a thick, glossy sauce, then spread over toast and grilled until bubbling. In Wales it is sometimes called 'Caws Pobi' and traditionally served for supper with a wedge of cold ale on the side.

Prep

10 min

Cook

10 min

Total

20 min

Serves

2

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
• •30 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• •150 ml (⅔ cup) pale ale, traditional Welsh/British bitter or mild ale such as Brains, Felinfoel or London Pride; a lager works in a pinch
• •120 ml (½ cup) whole milk
• •1 tsp English mustard powder, Colman's is traditional; do not substitute sweet American yellow mustard
• •1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• •cayenne pepper, ½, or a few grinds of black pepper
• •200 g (7 oz) mature sharp Cheddar, a traditionally Welsh farmhouse Cheddar (e.g. Caerphilly or similar territorial Cheddar) is ideal; avoid pre-grated as it contains anti-caking starch that dulls the melt
• •4 slices thick-cut bread, sourdough or a dense country loaf, about 2 cm / ¾ in thick
• •1 splash Worcestershire sauce, extra, for drizzling before grilling
• •1 pinch ground mace or nutmeg, optional, for the classic Welsh finish

Steps

1. 1 Make the roux: melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stir in the flour and cook 60–90 seconds, stirring, until pale blonde and smelling of shortbread — do not let it brown.
2. 2 Add the ale slowly while whisking constantly to avoid lumps, then whisk in the milk. Simmer 1–2 minutes until the sauce is the thickness of double cream and coats the back of a spoon.
3. 3 Off the heat, stir in the mustard powder, Worcestershire, cayenne and the pinch of mace if using. Add the grated Cheddar a handful at a time, stirring in a figure of eight until fully melted and the sauce is glossy and thick enough to mound on a spoon. If it looks split, whisk in 1 tbsp hot milk; if too thin, return to the lowest heat for 30 seconds. Keep warm.
4. 4 Heat the grill (broiler) to its highest setting and position a rack 10 cm / 4 in from the element. Toast the bread on both sides under the grill until pale gold, about 1 minute per side.
5. 5 Spread the cheese sauce thickly (about 5 mm / ¼ in) over each toast, right to the edges, and place on a lined tray. Drizzle each with a little extra Worcestershire.
6. 6 Grill 2–4 minutes until the topping is bubbling vigorously, lightly blistered and tipped with brown spots. Do not walk away — it burns quickly past this point.
7. 7 Serve immediately on warmed plates, with a pint of the same ale and, traditionally, a few sliced pickled gherkins or pickled beetroot alongside. The sauce should be molten at the table; if it has firmed up too much, briefly return the toasts under the hot grill for 30 seconds before serving.