Raclette is a great dish to share with friends. In Switzerland, dried cured meats, such as ham, beef, bacon and sausage, are often served before Raclette, with rye bread and butter. The traditional accompaniments are cornichons and pickled baby onions, plus white wine, of course, ideally Swiss Fendant du Valais. You should allow for at least six small plates of Raclette per person. It’s a substantial main dish so you won’t need a dessert – just offer a piece of fruit or, even better, a glass of eau de vie such as abricotine.
Be warned that the person in charge of the Raclette cannot pause at any point and must keep going until all the guests are replete!
SERVES 8–12
½ Valais AOP Raclette wheel (about 2.5kg), made with unpasteurised milk
1–1.5kg Raclette, Charlotte or other waxy potatoes
250g baby cornichons
250g pickled baby white onions
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Scrape the surface of the Raclette crust with a knife and set the cheese aside.
Wash the potatoes and cook them in their skins in lightly salted water until just tender. Take the pan off the heat and set aside to keep the potatoes warm in their cooking water until ready to serve.
Switch on and heat your electric or gas Raclette grill. Drain the potatoes and tip them into a serving dish. Have the serving plates warm and ready.
Position the half wheel of cheese on the support, with the cut side facing the hot element, about 6–8cm away from it. Heat the cheese for about 2–3 minutes until it begins to wrinkle and crease on the surface. As soon as it does, with the aid of a tea towel, slide the support that the cheese is resting on to the side of the grill, then tilt it to a 45° angle and, using the back of a knife, scrape across the bubbling hot cheese and let it slide onto a guest’s plate.
Serve at once to that guest, who can eat the melted cheese with a potato or two – skin on or peeled, as preferred – lightly peppered, and with or without a cornichon and some baby onions. Repeat for the next guest.
Between every 2 Raclettes, you will need to use the blade of a very sharp knife to cut off the edge of the outside crust of the cheese, so it is flush with the cheese inside. Offer around this little crust (called the religieuse); it’s crisp and delicious alongside the Raclette.