Wales has many traditional dishes involving the inevitable leeks, mutton, and lamb as well as these meatballs called faggots, which is what I used to call a bad date.
Then there’s Welsh rabbit, which is made not with conies but of bread, cheese, and beer. The most basic version involves thick slices of bread slathered in a thick Cheddar-type cheese sauce with a slosh of beer and broiled.
How cheese on toast came to be called ‘rabbit’ or ‘rarebit–the variations in spelling seem to be arbitrary is a mystery–you have Scottish and English versions as well–but Escoffier has a recipe for ‘Lapin Gallois‘ and Brillat-Savarin provides one for a ‘Wouelsche Rabette‘.
Toast thick slices of bread and place in a lightly oiled skillet, top with sauce and broil until bubbling and lightly browned.
This is a great late-night dish, wonderful for cold-weather breakfasts, and kids love it because it’s cheesy and messy and it’s called “rabbits”.
