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Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 slices rye bread


• 8-12 ounces thin sliced smoked ham


• Dijon mustard to taste


• butter for grilling sandwiches


• 2 Tbs butter


• 2 Tbs all-purpose flour


• 3/4-1 cup beer any kind (bock beer or Guinness are good) plus more for thinning if necessary


• 1/2 cup heavy cream


• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese


• approx.1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce


• 1/2-1 tsp Dijon mustard


• black pepper to taste


• chopped green onions for garnish (optional but good)

PROCEDURE:

Spread a little Dijon mustard on the inside of each slice of rye bread and top that with some thinly sliced smoked ham, butter the outsides of the sandwich and cook it just like you would any grilled cheese sandwich.

Make as many of the sandwiches as you want and take them out of the pan as you go and make sure you don't use a nonstick pan for this because you'll be using a whisk, in a minute, to make the sauce right in the same pan.

Melt 2 Tbs of butter over medium heat and add 2 Tbs of all-purpose flour. Whisk that in and continue whisking it for a minute or two and then add 3/4 cup of a darker beer like bock or Guinness and 1/2 cup of heavy cream and, just as that starts to simmer, whisk in 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese a little at a time. When that has melted, add a little shake of Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard and a crack of black pepper and turn the heat off.

If the sauce seems a little too thick, add a little more beer to thin it out a bit and it's time to eat.

Put some of the welsh rarebit down on a plate and put the sliced ham sandwich over the top of that and maybe another spoonful of the sauce over the top and finish with a sprinkling of chopped green onions, if you like, for a little added color.

HINTS:

Traditionally this is served over rye toast (or any toast you have on hand). Cream is not a classic addition and you can make the rarebit with just beer and cheese, just a little more of each but I think the cream helps to keep the sauce from breaking.