Welsh rarebit with ham & watercress

6 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
2Eggs, at room temperature
6ouncesBottled beer or ale
¾poundsCheddar cheese, coarse shred
tablespoonButter or margarine
¾teaspoonDry mustard
¾teaspoonWorcestershire sauce
teaspoonTabasco sauce
2slicesHomebaked Bread, toasted
4slicesBlack Forest Ham
cupWatercress, fresh
¼cupGreen Pepper, julienne
Tomato slices, thin

Directions

RAREBIT (SAUCE

BASE

VEGETABLE FILLING

GARNISH

1. Beat eggs until well blended. 2. Stir remaining sauce ingredients, together with the eggs, in a double-boiler. The type of beer used is a personal preference. A variety beer such as an imported German, British, etc beer is recommended so as to make the recipe less ordinary. A Pilsener or Lager may add more foam to the mixture and make the rarebit lighter in texture. 3. Bring a double-boiler to the boil then reduce heat to medium to heat mixture. Leave mixture uncovered and stir mixture thoroughly about once every minute. 4.

When the desired consistency is achieved, Beat mixture with rotary beater or electric mixer until very smooth. Leave in double-boiler to maintain temperature. 5. Toast bread slices. Home-made bread, sliced slightly thicker than commercial bread, is preferrable. Variety home-made breads would vary texture and flavour. 6. Drape 1 to 2 slices of Black Forest Ham (or alternative delicatessen meat slices) over toasted bread. Place on dinner plate and set in warming oven approx 10 min. prior to serving. 7. Steam watercress with julienne green peppers until heated through. These vegetables should be as close to uncooked as possible, although heated. Microwave may be utilized (approx 2 min at high). Wild watercress would enhance flavour. 8. Mound a portion of watercress and green pepper in the middle of the ham slices on the serving plates. Ladle a generous amount of the rarebit over the vegetables, ham and toast - allowing it to flow to cover the plate bottom. Accent plate by dropping thinly sliced uncooked tomato on the top of each mound.