Elegant and Easy

After having looked a couple score recipes for Welsh Rabbit, I'll just give you the one I use because it is delicious. The page is covered with stains.

This is adapted from " The Vegetarian Epicure," Anna Thomas's wonderful bible or excellent vegetarian recipes.

For 2

needed immediately:
2 Tbs melted butter

have at hand:
1/4 cup light beer at room temp
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
pinch of cayenne
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
3 cups coarsely shredded Cheddar cheese

In a double boiler

melt 2 tbs of butter

Beat together the ale, egg yolks and seasoning. Have this mixture at hand, along with the grated cheese and a wooden or enamel spoon.

To the melted butter in the double boiler, add a bit of the cheese, stirring constantly and in one direction only (to keep the sauce from breaking.) When the cheese and butter have formed a thick mass, add a bit of the ale mixture and don't ever stop stirring. Add more cheese until the sauce thickens, and add more ale, until all of the cheese has been used and you have velvety sauce thick enough to coat a spoon. Continue heating and stirring over very low heat (the sauce should steam but not boil) for an additional ten minutes.

Classically, this is served over toast points or english muffins, but I love it with fresh french baguette, sliced into thin rounds. Broiled tomatoes topped with oregano are a nice side, and that is the way it is served at Martin's Tavern, my favorite DC hangout, where one or more of the city's rapidly expanding collection of mystery writers can be found.