I love when my husband has fun surprises for me. Yesterday the kids were away at a race without me. They went up with Coach Bill, leaving before I was off from work for the day. My DH sends me a sweet email, "Want to try that English restaurant up by the airport?" Well, shoot yeah - who would turn down such an offer. I love going out to eat and I wanted to see what the Hill Top Restaurant considered typical British fare. It was lovely and cozy with our seats by the fire that quietly crackled away.
I was cold and was happy to find that I could have decaf. PG tips.
We began with Yorkshire pudding with beef gravy. Yum!
This was followed by Welsh Rarebit. We ordered this appitizer because we loved when we had it at Sally Lund's in Bath. It's an easy meal that I forget to make. This one was very different from what we expected. I think it must be a regional difference. Duncan (one of the owners) is from the north end of England. It was served over a bed of mixed greens on bread that had been toasted in the oven. I loved the special kick it had with cayene in the cheese sauce and a reduced Guiness and balsamic vinegar sauce. I'm going to try and figure out how to make it at home.
Next up, Larr had a salad with blue cheese. I had potato and leek soup that was really wonderful.
For the main course Larr had "The Pub" which was a flaky pocket pie filled with a cheese, Irish bacon and onion mixture along with a side of chips. I imagine that it might be one of the best items on the menu.
I had "Bubble and Squeak." It was different from what I expected, but was delightful. It too had the Guinness Balsamic reduction sauce on it. I enjoyed it thoroughly , but could not eat the entire amount. In fact, I was full before we even started the main course.
We thought about dessert, but opted out since we were both so full. I considered some fun British candy, but passed on that, too.
The food was great, the server was a lot of fun and I want to go again. Maybe we will take my father-in-law and the kids with us if we go there for my birthday in December.
Today I decided that I needed to give it a go before I forgot the taste of the Welsh Rarebit. Here's what I created based on my research. My family said it is a keeper:
Welsh Rarebit with Guiness Balsamic Reduction Sauce
2 bottles Guiness Stout
1 1/2 TBL Balsamic Vinegar
2 TBL Butter
2 TBL Flour
1 TBL Mustard Powder
1/2 tea Cayenne
2 TBL Worcestershire Sauce
1 # Cheddar Cheese, Grated (about 2 cups, roughly)
1 loaf of good bread
To make the reduction -
In a heavy sauce pan place 1 bottle of stout and heat on medium until reduced by at least half. (Make sure to use a pan with plenty of room. I started out in a smaller pan only to find that heating the stout causes it to foam significantly.)Once the reduction is done, stir in the balsamic vinegar. It takes the bitter edge off of the stout reduction. Do this to taste.
Preparing the Toast -
Preheat the broiler on high. Be sure the rack is close to the heating element. Slice the loaf into as many pieces as you like. Place them on a cookie tray and broil them until they are lightly browned. Be sure to keep on eye on them as they burn easily. Flip them over and toast the other side half as much.
Make the Cheese Sauce -
Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add in the flour and stir with a whisk over medium heat until lightly browned. Be sure to stir the entire time so that it does not burn. Add in mustard and cayenne, stirring until fragrant. Next, whisk in the stout and the Worcestershire sauce. Once this part of the sauce is combined, remove from the heat and let cool until it is about 158 degrees. (This temperature will melt the cheese without causing it to become grainy or change the smooth texture.) Fold in the cheese
and stir to melt. (At this point the cheese sauce can be refrigerated for up to a day or so.)
To Serve -
Place the toast on the the cooking sheet, pale side up. Spread the mixture on top of the bread and place under the broiler until bubbly. (The broiler part is optional.) Add a tiny bit of the Guiness Reduction sauce on top and serve. It is traditional to add a side of tomato slices. It is also lovely with tomato soup. We liked it with a Caesar Salad.
No comments:
Post a Comment