Name: Welsh rarebit with buttered leeks and ham
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 250 g Mature Cheddar cheese, grated; 50 g Butter; 50 g Plain (all-purpose) flour; 150 ml Ale, pale or dark; 150 ml Milk; 1 tsp English mustard; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; Small pinch white pepper; 2 Leeks; 30 g Butter; Salt, to taste, to taste; Sourdough Bread; Optional: Sliced Ham

Method

Step 1
Grate the cheddar cheese (250 g) and set aside.
Step 2
Place a saucepan over medium-low heat and melt the butter (50 g). Add the flour (50 g) and cook gently, stirring continuously, until the mixture turns lightly golden and develops a nutty aroma.
Step 3
Gradually pour in the ale (150 ml) a little at a time, stirring constantly until smooth. Slowly add the milk (150 ml), continuing to stir until fully combined.
Step 4
Add the English mustard (1 tsp), Worcestershire sauce (1 tsp), and white pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 5-10 minutes, stirring continuously, until thickened.
Step 5
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the grated cheese (250 g) gradually, a handful at a time, stirring until melted before adding more.
Step 6
If the sauce becomes oily or starts to split, add a small splash of water or milk (150 ml) to bring it back together. If the cheese (250 g) is not fully melting place over a gentle heat until melted.
Step 7
Transfer the mixture to a tray or bowl. Press parchment paper directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate until firm.
Step 8
Slice the leeks (2) lengthwise, wash thoroughly, then slice thinly. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the butter (50 g), and cook the leeks with a pinch of salt until soft and tender.
Step 9
Lightly toast the sourdough slices under a grill (broiler) until just golden.
Step 10
Spread a layer of buttered leeks (2) over the toast. Add ham if using, followed by a little more leeks. Take the chilled rarebit mixture and pile it generously on top, spreading it to cover and seal the edges.
Step 11
Place under a hot grill (broiler) and cook until the top is golden, bubbling, and lightly charred. Optionally, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce (1 tsp) halfway through cooking.
Step 12
Remove from the grill, allow to cool slightly, then slice and serve immediately.

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Questions people ask

How long does welsh rarebit with buttered leeks and ham take?

About 30 min from start to finish, of which 20 min is prep and 10 min is cooking. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How many does it serve, and can I change that?

As written it serves 4. Use the scale control on the recipe card to change it: every quantity in the ingredients and inside the method steps updates with it. Seasoning, and anything measured in pinches or splashes, is deliberately left alone.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.

Welsh rarebit with buttered leeks and ham