Welsh Rarebit with Kielbasa for #Brunchweek 2016

Welcome to Day 2 of our Brunch Week Celebration.  We kicked things off yesterday with a wonderful giveaway for our readers.  If you weren't here yesterday or you forgot to enter just go back to the introduction post and enter right now.  You don't want to miss the great gifts being raffled off. These gifts were provided by the #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Red Star Yeast, Dixie Crystals, Cabot Cheese, Vidalia Onion Committee, Sage Fruits, Nielsen-Massey, KitchenIQ, and Le Creuset.  I want to shout out a big THANK YOU to them for providing the prizes free of charge.

Prize package being given away by Cabot Creamery.

Enter here.

These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek. Today I am featuring the cheeses of Cabot Creamery.  I love these cheeses and purchase them often so I was excited to receive a great assortment for this event.  The opinions posted on this blog are 100% my own and are 100% honest about products that I use.

I grated up 3 different kinds of Cheddar for this dish.  2 oz. of Tomato and Basil Cheddar, 2 oz. of White Oak Cheddar and 4 oz. of Alpine Cheddar.  Have you ever had Welsh Rarebit?  I had not until I made it for this event.  I found the recipe in one of my old Cuisine at Home issues and thought it would be a perfect way to showcase Cabot cheeses.  The article said that Classic Rarebit is made with Cheddar and I had a ton of Cheddar to use.  They also said that the Welsh often serve it with Tomato Soup so I did using this recipe that I have shared with you before.

Welsh Rarebit is an open faced cheese sandwich using this creamy, delicious cheese sauce containing a roux, beer, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and, of course, cheese.  You pour this goodness over toast and then stick it under the broiler to brown.  I topped our sandwiches with sliced kielbasa because I had already given Frank a meatless meal with the Frittata I shared yesterday and I didn't want him getting cranky.

This is a perfect meal to serve at a brunch.  It is rich and luxurious.  It will impress your guests who, if they are like me, have heard of Welsh Rarebit but have never tried it and think it is exotic and hard to make.  Little will they know that it is easy and can be put together quickly in less than a half hour. The Welsh know what they are doing because the tomato soup was a great accompaniment for the sandwich. They are like a fondue sandwich so feel free to add anything onto your sandwich that you would serve with fondue.  I will leave the kielbasa off next time..... the sandwich is very rich and the kielbasa makes it richer yet.  If you do want meat, I would go with chicken or perhaps ham would be good too.  It wasn't bad with the sausage and Frank liked it so it would just be personal preference.

Welsh Rarebit with Kielbasa

slightly adapted from Cuisine at Home, Issue # 92

2 T. butter

3 T. flour

3/4 c. beer (I used Guinness)

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

8 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese (I used a variety)

1 dash hot sauce

black pepper to taste

4 slices bread, toasted

1 link fully cooked smoked Kielbasa, sliced and heated

Heat butter in a saucepan over med heat.  Add flour and cook until smooth and nutty smelling. Whisk in the beer, cream, mustard and Worcestershire until smooth.  Add the cheese, a handful at a time, whisking after each until melted and smooth. Add the hot sauce and season with the pepper.

Place toast onto a foil lined baking sheet and divided the sauce, covering each of the toasts.  Place under the broiler until bubbly and brown in spots.  Top with the Kielbasa and serve.  Print Recipe

More Great Brunch Dishes

BrunchWeek Beverages:

• Bluberry Mint Julep by The Suburban Soapbox

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:

• Lemon-Glazed Banana and Candied Ginger Scones by The Texan New Yorker
• Apple Cinnamon Muffins by Feeding Big and more
• Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts by The Chef Next Door
• Braided Pepperoni Pizza Bread by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• French Toast with Apple Compote and Caramel Syrup by The Redhead Baker
• Lemon Sticky Buns by The Barbee Housewife
• Same Day Mock Liege Waffles by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:

• Apple and Caramelized Onion Tart by Tara's Multicultural Table
• Tropical Smoothie by Gluten Free Crumbley

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:

• Breakfast Burger by Cooking In Stilettos
• Fiddlehead, Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Quiche by Palatable Pastime
• Poached Eggs on Asparagus Bundled with Prosciutto on Cheesy Polenta by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:

• Baked Seafood Stuffed Avocados by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Fried Chicken Biscuits and Gravy Sandwich by From Gate to Plate
• Kielbasa Welsh Rarebit by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pulled Pork Pancakes by Brunch-n-Bites
• Sausage and Fried Apples by Making Miracles

BrunchWeek Desserts:

• Brie and Raspberry Tarts by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Lemon Meringue Angel Food Cake by Love & Confections
• Lemon Zucchini Bread by Sweet Beginnings
• Orange Cheesecake With Caramel Rum Sauce by Wholistic Woman