Raclette? What is that?

by Ulrich Koepf on December 8, 2018 with No Comments

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Raclette has more than one definition.

Raclette is a Swiss cheese dish, a cultural landmark, the name of a cheese, a tabletop appliance, a dining experience, a great time!
Raclette is incredibly in style in Europe

The History

Particularly within the Swiss Alps and different ski regions.

And that’s where it’s said Raclette came from.
Back in the day, Swiss shepherds from the French-speaking Valais region were required to bring food up to the Alps that was relatively low-cost and wouldn’t spoil simply within the hot summer month. So they brought cheese and potatoes. While the potatoes cooked within the hearth or in the fire, an enormous piece of cheese was placed close to the fire. Once it started melting the cheese was bumped off and scraped onto the baked potatoes. This wasn’t solely filling and nutritional, but additionally delicious. In French ‘to scrape’ interprets as ‘racler’ and this is often wherever the term Raclette came from.

The Equipment

Today, few houses have an open fireplace, so to simulate the process we now have Raclette Melter that holds a block or half wheel of cheese under a heating element. Once melted, the cheese is scraped off onto the prepared potatoes.
Another selection could be a Raclette Grill, which permits individual melting parts of cheese and offers a grill on top at the same time, to serve grilled vegetables, meat, chicken, or fish with the cheese. Many of those models go with a reversible grill (flattop) that may be used to create crepes or pancakes. And yet one more selection may be reborn into a mini pizza pie kitchen appliance.

The Recipes

This simple raclette formula below serves 4 people.
• 8 small/medium potatoes
• 1.5 lb. Raclette Cheese
• Buendnerfleisch (cut in paper-thin slices)
• 1 jar of pickled gherkin cucumbers (cornichons)
• 1 jar of pickled onions
• freshly ground pepper
• paprika
Wash potatoes and, with skins on, boil in a pot filled with salted water for about 20 min. Test with a knife if the potatoes are done. Keep hot to use in an insulated potato bag. In the meanwhile take away the rind of the cheese and delve 1/16″ thick slices employing an adjustable wire slicer. Arrange gherkins, onions, and Buendnerfleisch on a platter and set aside until required. Turn the raclette on to start to heat up (allow for a minimum of five minutes before using). For raclette grills: every guest takes a slice of cheese, places it in their pan, and slides it under the raclette grill to melt. It takes minutes to soften to a creamy consistency and three minutes for an additional crispier high. In the meantime take a potato, place it onto your plate and cut it into a few pieces, remove the pan from under the grill once it’s reached its preferred consistency, and hold the pan onto its face to scrape the cheese out, using your wooden spatula. For a raclette, each guest prepares potatoes and side dishes on their own plates. When the cheese starts melting on the wheel, scrape the cheese onto the plate—season it with freshly ground pepper and paprika.

The beverage to break up the cheese!

Pair Raclette Cheese with Pinot Grigio, Swiss Fendant, or a light, fruity wine, like Burgundy. A popular beverage is also a Kirsch Licor. (Cherry Brandy)

This is what a table looks like serving Raclette for 8 people