Paul Hollywood's Irish rarebit recipe
Soda bread was popular long ago in Ireland, especially in rural areas where a regular supply of barm (brewer’s yeast) wasn’t always accessible to the home baker.
Here I’m giving you an Irish spin on Welsh rarebit, using Irish cheese, spring onions and a splash of stout. Rarebit is one of those great comfort foods that can be thrown together at the last minute. The mixture also keeps well in the fridge, so you can have it on standby for a quick lunch or supper.
Ingredients
- 150 ml full-fat milk
- 1.5 tbsp plain flour
- 400 g strong Irish Cheddar, grated
- 160 g medium-fine white breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- 120 ml Guinness or other stout
- 2 medium egg yolks
- 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
- 6 slices of soda bread
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 cup watercress, to serve
Details
- Cuisine: Irish
- Recipe Type: Main
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 5 mins
- Cooking Time: 10 mins
- Serves: 6
Step-by-step
- Preheat your grill to high. Warm the milk in a saucepan until almost simmering, then whisk in the flour. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring, for a minute or two. The mixture should be smooth and slightly thickened.
- Add the grated cheese and stir over a low heat until it has melted. Add the breadcrumbs, mustard powder and stout. Continue stirring over the heat until the mixture comes together and leaves the sides of the pan.
- Tip the mixture into a bowl and leave for a minute to cool slightly, then add the egg yolks and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in the spring onions.
- Toast the soda bread on one side. Spread the rarebit on the untoasted side and place under the hot grill until bubbling and golden brown. Add a grinding of pepper and serve, with watercress on the side.
Extract taken from Paul Hollywood’s Pies & Puds, published by Bloomsbury. Photography by Peter Cassidy.
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