Light Bites Vegetarian Leftovers Lunch

Miguel Barclay’s Caramelised Onion Rarebit

Miguel Barclay shows us how to make the most of our store cupboard ingredients by creating this easy Welsh rarebit recipe. Initially created as 18th Century tavern nosh, it's a delicious snack consisting of a slice of toast with a cheese sauce on top, popped under the grill until golden brown. There are plenty of ways to customise the sauce (by adding a splash of hot sauce, for example), but Miguel Barclay has chosen a drop of Worcestershire sauce.

5 minutes prep, 30 minutes cook

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 onions, sliced

1tsp soft sugar (or any other sugar you have)

100g sharp Cheddar cheese

Splash of single cream (or double cream)

½ a French baguette

Worcestershire sauce

Big handful of salad leaves

Small handful of pine nuts

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method

First, gently pan-fry the onion over a low heat in a splash of olive oil, along with the sugar and some salt and pepper, for at least 20 minutes. Once caramelised and dark brown, remove from the heat and set to one side.

To make the Welsh rarebit, preheat your oven to 190ºC/gas mark 5.,Grab a bowl and finely grate the Cheddar using the finest grater you have. Add a splash of single or double cream and mix with a fork to create a paste (about the consistency of mashed potato).

Cut the baguette at an angle into 1cm-thick slices and place on a wire rack. Top each piece with a dollop of the cheese mixture and add a splash of Worcestershire sauce to each one.

Place each slice of bread with cheese mixture on into the oven, and cook it for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the bread is toasted.

Assemble the salad leaves and the rarebit pieces on a large platter, then spoon a teaspoon of the caramelised onions onto each of the cheese toasts. Sprinkle over some pine nuts, drizzle with olive oil and serve.