Westcountry Rarebit Crostini With Caramelised Shallots

Ingredients

Crostini

• 1 long stick French bread
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced

Shallots

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 10 shallots, peeled

Rarebit

• 5 tablespoons milk
• 300 g cheddar cheese, grated
• 25 g plain flour
• 2 medium egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 dash Tabasco sauce
• 1 dash worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. 1

   Making the Crostini: Cut the French bread diagonally into thin 1cm thick rounds. Brush each round with the olive oil and divide the garlic between the rounds. Place the bread rounds on a baking sheet and oven bake for 10 – 12 minutes at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 until crisp and golden.

2. 2

   Roasting the shallots: Oven roast the shallots with the olive oil and balsamic at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 for about 30 minutes until soft, covering with wetted baking parchment if they start to excessively brown. Once cooked halve the shallots.

3. 3

   Preparing the rarebit mixture: Warm the milk in a medium size pan but do not allow to boil. Stir in the cheese until melted; add the flour, mustard powder and, Tabasco and Worcestershire Sauces and stir over a gentle heat until a thick paste is made. Cool for a couple of minutes before beating in the egg yolks.

4. 4

   Making the rarebits: Spoon the rarebit mix onto the prepared crostini and top with the shallots. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 until the cheese begins to bubble and brown at the edges.