Sinful Treat: The Welsh Rabbit

No, the Welsh Rabbit has nothing to do with rabbits.

Welsh Rabbit

You see? No rabbits. Welsh Rabbit, or Welsh Rarebit (which was a term coined later on to avoid confusion with rabbits), is basically hot savory melted cheese served over bread. It is an old British tavern food that has been around since the 18th century. I tried to stay true to the original version as much as possible. Mine is made with Guinness and aged cheddar cheese.

I got carried away researching the history of the Welsh Rabbit and the origin of its name. Why the funny name? Oh some say that rabbit is a poor Englishman's meat and cheese is a poor Welshman's meat. And there are some who say that Welsh peasants were not allowed to eat rabbits on the estates of nobility, so they use cheese as a substitute. Here is my favorite one of all - there goes the saying "if a Welshman went rabbit hunting, cheese would be his supper." I don't know how believable any of these are, but a Welshman knows his food.

Seriously, sinfully delicious. Trust me, it is worth it.

Welsh Rabbit
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup of good dark beer (I used Guinness)
• 1/2 lb of cheddar cheese, shredded (preferably aged, I used 4-year aged Wisconsin cheddar cheese)
• A few slices of wheat bread (or any kind of bread you prefer)

Recipe

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add flour, salt, pepper, dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce. 
2. Continue cooking and stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
3. Slowly add milk and continue stirring until mixture comes to a boil. 
4. Pour in beer and cook for another minute. 
5. Stir in cheese and mix until melted and well incorporated.
6. Remove from heat and ladle cheese sauce over wheat bread. Enjoy immediately.

Gastropub Cuisine, Gourmet Pork Shoulder Pizza

Although there are numerous restaurants that I love and enjoy, there are only a handful that inspire my cooking. Those are the restaurants I look forward to visiting everytime. Waterloo & City is one of them.

Waterloo & City was designed as a traditional British gastropub, which by definition has a relaxed atmosphere while serving gastronomic cuisine. However, those in LA have begun to associate the restaurant with molecular gastronomy cuisine, mainly due to its creative spin on popular comfort food and its ever-changing menu. I cannot tell you how much I loved their winter squash cheesecake with candied bacon and crème fraiche. Anyway, we ordered their "Braised Short Rib Pizza, Stilton, Chimichuri" and were instantly in love. The way the tenderness and juiciness of short ribs melt onto the pizza, making the thin crust pizza feel like a deep dish. The way the chimichuri brings an extreme flavor and texture to the entire pizza.

I was inspired to make what I personally thought was the best pizza I have ever had - Ale Braised Pork Shoulder Pizza with Candied Apple Pecans.

Ale Braised Pork Shoulder Pizza with Candied Apple Pecans

Pork shoulder was braised in the oven with Belgian ale, pancetta, onions, and various herbs for approximately four hours. I covered the fresh pizza crust with shredded pork shoulder pieces and a thin layer of marinara sauce. The pizza was then topped with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, candied whole pecans and apple slices, basil leaves, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for the spice. Salty, sweet, spicy, savory and creaminess all came together in this pizza. It was so good.