Seafood Made Simple: My Welsh Rarebit blends fish with cheese for an oceanic oomph

Irish Examiner

10-05-2025

The Welsh Rarebit, in my book, is the ultimate of all open-faced sandwiches. Packed with the umami layered ingredients of ale, cheese, and Worcestershire sauce. It's a deeply moreish number.
I had my first rarebit in one of my all-time favourite restaurants, the renowned St John in London. Founded by the great chef Fergus Henderson, he's a master of simplicity and the king of nose-to-tail cookery. His version includes English mustard powder and Guinness.
Mine, as you'd expect, includes a little seafood. I'm not typically the biggest advocate of serving fish with cheese but it works so brilliantly in this recipe, using some smoked haddock to add an oceanic oomph.
I've used a little fillet of Woodcock Smokery's smoked haddock in this recipe, but you could also use some smoked pollock. Or you could fold through some crab through the mix instead.
A fundamental ingredient to a rarebit is beer. Some recipes call for red ales, others for porters, lots for stout. Here, I've opted for a more subtle addition, using Elbow Lane's lager to flavour the sauce.
Elbow Lane Brewery and Smoke House produces five award-winning beers. Expertly brewed by Russel Grant and his team, they adhere to the principles of the German purity laws, using only water, hops, barley and yeast. For cheese, I've used Coolattin Cheddar from west Wicklow. Tom Burgess is producing my favourite cheddar in the whole of Ireland. Crowned the World's Best Cheddar last year in the World Cheese Awards, I implore you to try this.
A mature raw milk cheese made only in the summer months, when the herd is grazing on clover-rich pastures, it's both fruity and nutty. You'll find it in most cheesemongers, but you can also buy direct from coolattincheddar.ie.
Smoked Haddock Rarebit with Fennel and Apple Salad
recipe by:Aishling Moore
I'm not typically the biggest advocate of serving fish with cheese but it works so brilliantly in this recipe
Servings
4
Preparation Time 
10 mins
Cooking Time 
30 mins
Total Time 
40 mins
Course 
Main
Ingredients For the rarebit
100g smoked haddock
300ml milk
50g butter (plus 30g for toasting bread)
50g plain flour
150ml beer
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1tb Worcestershire sauce
20g mature cheddar grated (plus extra for finishing)
¼ tsp white pepper
Sea salt
4 x slices thick-cut bread
For the salad
1 small bulb of fennel
1 small apple, sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp golden rapeseed oil
2 sprigs of dill chopped
Sea salt
Method
In a small, heavy-based saucepan on medium-low heat, gently poach the smoked haddock in the milk until the fish flakes when pressed.
Using a slotted spoon lift the fish from the pot and place on a plate to cool slightly before flaking.
Pass the milk through a sieve and reserve.
Add 50g butter to a separate medium saucepan on medium-low heat.
Once the butter has melted add the flour and stir well using a wooden spoon.
Cook for one minute before slowly adding the warmed milk to prevent lumps from forming in the sauce.
Once all the milk is incorporated, add the beer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 4 minutes to ensure the flour is cooked out.
Finish the sauce with mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cheese and white pepper. Taste and season with salt.
Add the flaked smoked haddock and transfer to a small bowl with some greaseproof paper over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Melt 30g butter in a large frying pan on medium heat and toast the slices of bread until golden brown.
Place on a baking sheet. Divide the rarebit mixture in four and smear across one side of each slice of toast.
Cover with more grated cheese and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until bubbling and gratinated.
To make the salad, combine the shaved fennel and sliced apple in a medium mixing bowl.
Add the chopped dill, season with salt and dress with the lemon juice and golden rapeseed oil.
Fish tales
Watch out for bones when flaking the smoked haddock. I like to keep the skin attached when poaching and discard when flaking.
Season cautiously when making the rarebit mixture as the smoked haddock, Worcestershire sauce, and cheddar are all high in salt.
It's very important to add the milk to the rarebit mixture when it's still warm to prevent any lumps from forming in the sauce.
I prefer toasting the bread in butter in the pan, but you can use a toaster to save time and washing up. It's vital the bread is toasted before adding the rarebit mix.
Use a mandolin for shaving the fennel and slicing the apples if you have one handy. Alternatively, you could use a speed peeler.
Prepare the salad just before serving to prevent the apple from discolouring.
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