Raclette

Photo from dotmaison.com

We finally were able to put our new raclette set to use!  Never heard of raclette?  I wouldn't have either if not for my husband's relatives from Switzerland.  The best way for me to describe Raclette is Fondue on Steroids (although I do LOVE fondue as well, and both are equally delicious)!

 Raclette is a dish indigenous to parts of Switzerland and the Savoy region of France. The Raclette cheese (or other soft cheeses) is heated, either in front of a fire or by a special machine, then scraped onto diners' plates. The term raclette derives from the French word racler, meaning "to scrape". Traditionally, it is accompanied by small firm potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions, and dried meat....     Thank you Wikipedia.

So basically, you grill meats, breads and vegetables on top of a stone grill, while you melt cheese in individual trays, coupelles, underneath the grill.  Once the cheese is bubbly, you scrape the cheese over potatoes or bread and eat it with other vegetables and meats.  Continue this process until you are full.  It is a do-it-yourself meal, so every little dish you make is what you want it to be.  It is a very social dinner and is SO FUN!  And, since everyone cooks their own meal, the host (aka you) is only in charge of making sure veggies and meats are prepared, potatoes are boiled, and everything is on the table.  It is easy to split ingredients up among guests as well to keep price down for everyone!

Elk strips marinated with melted butter, salt & pepper

4 lbs of potatoes, boiled and kept warm

So this is what you need:

Ingredients:

• Sliced Vegetables for grilling (I used 2 green peppers, 1 large onion, mushrooms, and 1 zuchinni)
• Baby Red Potatoes, scrubbed, eyes removed, and boiled for 20 minutes (assume 1/2 lb of potatoes per guest.  We had 4 lbs of potatoes for 8 people and had a few left over)
• Thin Meats - We used thin slices of marinated elk, prosciutto, salami (pepperoni and ham work too)
• Cheeses - We used raclette cheese, white cheddar horseradish, and velveeta slices (to keep it American) but here is a list of 10 cheeses that work well for raclette.
• Crusty Bread - baguettes work well
• Baby pickles - we had sweet and dill
• Garlic, minced to be set out on the table for people to add as desired
• Green onion, sliced thin & set out on the table for people to add as desired
• Olive Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar, Salt & Pepper, all out on the table for people to use 

Sliced veggies for grilling

and this is what I did:

I was in charge of potatoes, vegetables, elk meat and "toppers."  One group of guests brought a selection of cheeses.  One group of guests brought meats.  One group of guests brought bread and pickles.

• Slice vegetables thin and arrange on plates to be scattered around the table
• Slice raw meats thin, marinate and place on one plate
• Arrange all other cooked meats on another plate
• Arrange cheeses on separate plates
• Place bread in a bread basket to keep warm
• Place potatoes in a lined basket to keep warm (and we kept some in the oven at 150 degrees too)
• Place all "toppings" around the table on platter easily passed around
• Raclette grill should be in the middle of the table so every can access their individual mini pans, coupelles.

The dish is traditionally served with white wine or warm beverages, but I would say the red wine, white wine, and assorted beer we consumed during the meal was a delicious accompaniment.  It all depends on what your grillables will be.  Tradition also cautions drinking water during the meal to avoid cheese hardening in the stomach which can cause indigestion...but we all had water and were just fine.

Setting the raclette table

This meal has been one of my favorite dining experiences ever, which is even more exciting due to the fact it took place in my own home!  It really is a very social dinner setting and is more enjoyable than I could have ever imagined.  The meal went on for a while, so make sure you plan on making this meal an all night affair!

". . . gastronomical perfection can be reached in these combinations: one person dining alone, usually upon a couch or a hill side; two people, of no matter what sex or age, dining in a good restaurant; eight people . . . dining in a good home." 

BON APPETIT!