Worcestershire Rarebit

With freshly home-made bread just out of the oven, what better way to enjoy its delicious taste than to top it with Rarebit. Welsh Rarebit is the popular variety but why not try my Midland variation - Worcestershire Rarebit where the local ingredient is Worcestershire sauce.     

 

Bread ingredients: (2 loaves)     
500gms –Strong White Bread Flour (we use Carrs Canadian Flour available in most supermarkets)
1 sachet of Fast Action Dried Yeast (7gms)
1 teaspoon of Sugar
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
300ml of warm water

Rarebit ingredients: (serves 1)
1 egg
half tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 small garlic cloves - finely chopped
1tsp French wholegrain mustard
75g mature Cheddar cheese - grated
50g Gruyere cheese - grated
1tsp finely chopped chives
1 spring onion
parsley for garnish

Method:

1.       Place all the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a bowl, food mixer or food processor.

2.      Using a dough hook in the mixer bowl, turn on the food mixer or if by hand stir in with a fork, the warm water.  If all the flour in not incorporated in the mix then add a little more water.

3.      If using a food mixer and dough hook, mix for 4 minutes. If mixing by hand then mix until the dough is formed.

4.     Turn out the dough from the mixer on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute. If by hand, turn out and knead for 10 minutes.

 

 

5.     Place the dough in a lightly olive oiled bowl and cover the dough loosely with a lightly oiled sheet of cling film.

6.     Leave the bowl of dough in a warm place for 1 hour for the dough to ‘prove’ and double in size. (warm conservatory, airing cupboard or heated utility room)

7.     Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and ‘knock back’ (i.e. knead for a further 2 minutes).

8.     Cut the ball of dough in half and form into two ‘submarine’ shapes and place them ether together on a lightly greased oven tray with space between them or on separate oven trays.  The dough will expand further.

9.     Cover the two loaves with  a tea towel and leave for 25 minutes to allow them to double in size

10.   Bake the loaves in a pre heated oven at 200-230 degrees or gas mark 6/7

11.  Bake until golden brown – to check that the bread is cooked, turn the loaf upside down and tap the bottom of the bread. A hollow sound confirms that the bread is cooked.

 

12.   Allow the two loaves to cool on a wire tray.

 

13. Lightly toast 2 thick slices of the bread under a grill and meanwhile, beat the egg in a bowl, then mix in the Worcestershire sauce, garlic and mustard. Add the grated cheese, chives and spring onion.

 

14. Spread onto the toast, right to the edges, using the back of a spoon.

 

15. Place under the hot grill until the rarebit has a browny -yellow glaze. Garnish with parsley and eat straight away!