Raclette

Raclette is a traditional Swiss dish which is synonymous with Alpine Skiing. Aside from being mouth-wateringly delicious, it’s also very sociable. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying this après ski delight, then get ready to start drooling again whilst reminiscing about the soft, warm, creamy cheese melted over firm potatoes.



Our friends Eva and Steve were kind enough to invite us over for dinner a few weeks ago for the Raclette experience, which derives its name from the cheese which is typically used. Raclette is a semi-hard Swiss cheese made from unpasturised cow’s milk. Apparently the grass at higher altitudes contains greater protein, fat and nutrient content, which in turn allow the cows to produce richer milk. It’s quite hard to get in the UK unless you’re buying in bigger quantities or pre-ordering from specialty stores. However, some good alternatives are apparently Jarlsberg, Emmentaler and Gruyere – although I’ve not tried them. Try to get it pre-sliced as it will save you the work in the kitchen.

The basic idea is to melt the cheese under a grill in small pans (called coupelles), and when it starts bubbling away, serve it over boiled potatoes. The texture is rich and creamy, and just writing about it again is making me hungry!

While your cheese is under the grill, you can also fry the cured meats on top. Eva and Steve served up 3 different types including a spicy chorizo (delicious!). These should all be thinly sliced and can be cooked in a minute or so. Serve with pickled onions, cornichons, sundried tomatoes and salad leaves.

Although white wine, including sweet ones can go well with this, we had a Bourgogne which is a light red from Eastern France (known as Burgundy in the UK). Many people also serve with black tea to help the digestion – trust me, you’ll need it: I permanently had a slice of cheese under the grill while eating another so that the next batch was ready just as I finished the last. This meant I ended up wolfing down enough to feed a small army and I could feel it sitting there for quite a few hours after as well.

A Raclette makes for a great social dinner and is really good during winter time. The sets are easy to find and buy as well from any kitchen appliance retailer.