Indulge in Alpine Delights: The Art of Raclette Grill Dining
Raclette is an experience rather than a mere meal – a gathering of people in an unusual atmosphere of warmth and conviviality. It was long the custom in many parts of Switzerland to carve a hunk of cheese in front of a blazing fire and roast meats and vegetables on its embers.
The traditional method of cooking a Raclette dinner is known as raclettage. Gratins and other dishes are freshly prepared at the table, and Raclette cooking is a very social occasion.
However, ingredients are cooked on a mechanical grill rather than on an open fire, and the method is now particularly associated with this type of Raclette grill, a connoisseur’s kitchen utensil that is fun as well as decorative. If you are entertaining friends or family, or just enjoying your own company, Raclette preparing and dining does not have to be just simple fun – it can become an ‘experience’ in its own right.
The Tradition of Raclette Grill:
The name comes from the French racler, ‘scrape’, and is apt in its description of the action of melting the cheese and scraping it onto the accompanying accompaniments. The tradition is a few hundred years old, a bourgeois invention of the Alpine regions of Switzerland, France, and Germany.
The Raclette Grill Experience:
Raclette isn’t just a meal you eat, it is an event you stage. At the centre of a Raclette night is the Raclette grill. Typically these are table-top appliances consisting of several trays or paddles for melting wheels of cheese along with ingredients for grilling. Meats, vegetables, sliced potatoes and, of course, cheese, sit around the grill.
Choosing the Right Ingredients:
One delight in Raclette is that it’s not just a dairy dish: you can serve it with other meats and accompaniments that you grill. Thinly sliced beef, chicken or ham would work as a combination with melted cheese. Bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and onions are all good vegetables. Potatoes, without a doubt, are one of my favourite things to have with Raclette. They’re usually boiled, or roasted, until soft and then are served while still warm. At home I like slicing my hot potatoes in a way so they broke into little clumps under my fork – I can’t be bothered with cleaning up very finely sliced potatoes. While Raclette cheese is the tradition, you can always use whatever cheese you want. Gruyère, Emmental or Fontina would all work well.
Preparing the Raclette Grill:
Check and clean the grill before use, and have the meats, vegetables and cheese divided among the different platters. Preheat the grill to proper temperature – high if you are grilling meats or vegetables, and low if you are melting cheese.
The Art of Melting Cheese:
With the grill good and hot, it’s time to get melting the cheeses. Sliding the Raclette cheese into the individual trays or paddles, and slide it under the grill. Scrape your melted raclette onto your plate or directly under your grilled items. The melted cheese ought to be deliciously gooey and just lightly browned. Your meal ought to now have a rich, savoury flavour.
Grilling Meats and Vegetables:
Meanwhile, while the cheese is melting, prepare your meats and vegetables in a grill and cook them thoroughly. Season them while cooking and add the additional seasonings you prefer, including salt, pepper, and your favourite herbs and spices. Pay attention to them and turn them during the cooking process so that they will get perfectly browned and cooked.
Serving and Enjoying Raclette:
Then, when everything is cooked as you like, you’re ready to plate up your Raclette banquet: lay out the grilled meats and vegetables and potatoes, and do your best work in showering them with runny, gooey, melting cheese. Sliced up crusty bread, dill pickles, and a glass of wine or cool drink are the best accessories to any Raclette spread. Encourage your guests to stack up their plates with different combinations of food and flavours and to enjoy.
Tips for a Successful Raclette Experience:
- Make sure you have plenty of bread, meat, vegetables, cheese and accompaniments to feed everyone.
- Keep it sociable: Raclette is a leisurely food to share with others – invite friends and family to sit down, bust out the cheese and make a night of it.
- Experiment with flavours: Don’t be shy! Try different ingredients with your Raclette to see how various combinations work.
- Clean up: After the meal, do this to your grill and its utensils.
Whether it is among friends and family, or a cosy night in, Raclette grill is an enjoyable culinary experience, not to mention an unforgettable evening; it’s the cheese of a lifetime. So, raise your forks, chopsticks, or bare hands, and dig into the grill.
