THIS is a very tasty snack. Why it’s called “Welsh rarebit” is disputed, except that it was first recorded as Welsh rabbit, which it is sometimes still called. My Welsh great-grandparents, I’m told, insisted it was because the English ruling elite kept the Welsh people so poor that they couldn’t afford to eat meat and they weren’t allowed to hunt real rabbits. 

I don’t eat meat anyway, but it’s nice to have the choice. Welsh rarebit takes a bit more care than straightforward cheese on toast, but it’s worth the trouble. I like to make it with really strong Cheddar, but if your tastes are more moderate, you can make it with a mild version. 

The mustard can also be chosen according to your own taste. This also works well with other hard cheeses, such as Red Leicester. 

As for the beer, again you can choose whatever suits your taste. To be honest, I often make it with a cheap brew, but a good, well-flavoured bitter is probably ideal. Also, you don’t need that much beer for a couple of slices and of course you just might want to drink the rest. This makes enough for one big appetite or two modest ones.

Ingredients

• Tbsp butter or margarine
• Tbsp white flour
• 10 cl/3 fl.oz. beer, slightly warmed
• 30g/1 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tsp. mustard
• Pepper to taste
• 2 large, thick slices of bread

What to do

1. Melt the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed pan. 
2. Add the flour. Stir well on a low light and add the warmed beer. 
3. Bring to the boil, add the cheese, reduce the heat and allow to simmer, still stirring, until the cheese has melted and the resulting sauce has thickened, then stir in the mustard and pepper. 
4. Lightly toast the bread on both sides, then spoon the cheese mixture on to it. 
5. It’s okay to let it run over the edge, but draw it back in with the spoon as much as you can. 
6. Grill until the cheese starts to brown and bubble. Serve right away.