Dear readers, my name is Jacqui,
I am 41years old, a foodie and a Francophile, but I have a big confession.
Until last week I was a raclette virgin! How? Especially when cheese is one of
my naughty pleasures. It is a mystery and more so as I can think of few things
more comforting on a winters evening than gooey, warm, melted cheese. The
basics of a raclette meal are, I think, meats and vegetables you grill together
at the table and serve with cooked potatoes and warm freshly melted cheese
poured over the top. The cheese cooks in special miniature pans under the grill
plate. Total yumminess on a plate and a very social meal experience too.
Having been inducted into the
tasty treat at some friends we just had to get ourselves a raclette ‘unit’ of
our own. We opted for a teeny, tiny small one as there are only three of us and
the price was teeny, tiny too. We figured if it becomes one of those gadgets
that sits in the kitchen gathering dust we haven’t wasted much money and if we
LOVE it we can always upgrade.
The raclette grill came with a
fantastic instruction manual that included some helpful hints I’d like to share
with you:
‘Small pieces of meat and/or
fish cook quicker than big pieces’
‘Never move the hotplate with
hands when still hot: you could get burned’
‘Clean the pans in water and
washing-up liquid. Rinse well and allow to dry’
 |
| Raclette meal www.frenchvillagediaries.com |
Right I think I’ve got that, now
on to a feast of unctuous, deliciousness. In an attempt to keep things as
healthy as they can be, when the main part of the meal is melted cheese, we
grilled mushrooms, peppers, onions and garlic as well as a selection of hams.
But I would like your help in case I am missing something; do you Raclette and
if so what do you cook on yours? Many thanks.
I love my Raclette! I was introduced to it several years ago by French friends and they used to do lots of veg like you and also small pieces of chicken and steak. In the miniature pans (or 'spades' as my kids called them!) they put sliced cooked potato then raclette cheese to melt on top *bliss* They also used to crack an egg into the mini pans (separately - not with the potato and cheese)
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of cooking eggs in the little pans, thanks for the top tip Karen. I will also try adding the potato and cheese together in the pan next time. Warm cheese is just so right and so comforting isn't it!
DeleteWe're big raclette fans in my family (husband is French) but I must confess to it being a charcuterie-fest above all! As many different types of charcuterie as possible under the melted cheese and potatoes. It's one meal where I say to hell with the 5-a-day!!
ReplyDeleteThe charcuterie was Ed's favourite bit too, so tasty. A suppose a little side salad could be served too.
DeleteWe bought our first raclette grill 2 weeks ago after eating at my daughters. We'd been raclette virgins too til then.
ReplyDeleteMachine for 6, very cheap €19,00.
Had a lovely evening a couple of nights ago with 2 couples, one couple were also virgins. Such an easy way to entertain and hardly any work for the hostess.
Glad I wasn't the only one who has been missing out all these years. It is a great social event isn't it. Yours was a good price, ours was less, but it is only a four person one.
DeleteOh my! We have a long time love affair with raclette! For us it is mainly charcuterie that is served over the steamy potatoes and melted cheese. Forget the veggies! Have you seen how they do it in the Alps? Just do a search on my blog. Bises!! Xo
ReplyDeleteI so wish I could forget the veggies, but the health geek within makes me eat them. Heading to search raclette on your blog now.
DeleteMMMmmm we love Raclette here too, we mostly 'dilute' the cheese, meat & potato fest with a good portion of ratatouille, delicious with raclette AND a good way to use up a portion of freezer stored summer garden produce :D
ReplyDeleteRatatouille sounds the perfect accompaniment and there is usually some lurking in the freezer, thanks.
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