German Raclette - Ultimate Party Guide With Tips And Recipes - Ultimate Party Guide With Recipes | Cooking The World (2024)

FAQs

What is a German raclette? ›

Raclette (/rəˈklɛt/, French: [ʁaklɛt]) is a dish of Swiss origin, also popular in the other Alpine countries (France, Germany, Austria), based on heating cheese and scraping off the melted part, then typically served with boiled potatoes.

Try following these 3 Swiss Rules when having Raclette: No Side Dishes – They don't want anything else grilling. No Drinks – You cannot drink water during and 2 hours after, you can only wine, beer or hot tea. They believe that when you drink anything else, it will cause you congeal cheese in your belly.

While this works well in a pinch, it's a bit of a bummer for dinner parties as you'll need to go back and forth to the kitchen whenever somebody wants another serving of raclette. Traditional accompaniments to raclette include: charcuterie, potatoes, and pickles, with a dry white wine for drinking.

Raclette is traditionally served in France with tiny pickles (cornichons) and pickled pearl onions on the side, along with an assortment of cured meats — prosciutto, coppa, bresaola, etc. The pickles and meat can be presented on a platter in the center of the table.

Here's what you need for an authentic raclette: The cheese: If you can't find cheese specifically made for raclette, use any really good melting Swiss cheese, such as Gruyere or even Appenzeller. Make sure the cheese has a flat surface to melt in front of the fire.

Classic raclette is served with a trio of sides: potatoes, pickled onions and gherkins. Add a pepper mill and perhaps a special mix of raclette spices. But this doesn't mean that there is no room for a bit of creativity when it comes to raclette.

Raclette (capital R) is the name of a traditional cheese that originated in the French and Swiss Alps. But raclette (lower-case r) is also the method of serving this cheese melted over bread, potatoes, or other goodies.

We find a dry white wine best with raclette though a light Pinot Noir also makes an excellent match, as does a good beer. The Swiss recommend you don't drink water while eating raclette. It is bad for digestion. When melting the raclette, don't overcook it.

What to drink with raclette. Beer, wine and tea are all popular drinks with raclette; what's considered important is to avoid water, which will only help all that cheese to congeal in your stomach.

White wine is the best idea to accompany melted cheese. Choose a white wine that is not too dry, but with a nice freshness like the Pinot Blanc Classic. The idea is that the wine should have enough roundness (i.e. voluptuousness) to match the fatness of the cheese.

What food is good on a raclette? ›

The versatility of a raclette is endless. Skewer some asparagus, cured hams like black forest or parma ham and mozzarella balls, quickly cook on the top grill and you've got a tasty meal on a stick. Serve with a simple pesto hollandaise.

Raclette Cheese freezes really well so you can always keep some handy in your freezer for those chilly nights. Cold Charcuterie - Ham, Prosciutto, Salami, Bresaola, Pastrami, Capocollo. Grilled Vegetables & Boiled Potatoes.

Toast the bread in the toaster or in a frying pan. At the same time, melt the cheese in the raclette oven (or in an oven-proof pan under the oven grill). Spread slices of toasted bread with butter, top 2 slices with cooked ham and cabbage. Pour melted cheese over and top with remaining toasted bread.

How does raclette taste? This fantastic cow's milk cheese has a wonderful creamy texture and a salty, slightly sweet, slightly nutty flavor not unlike Gruyere. It's fairly aromatic and becomes more pungent the longer the cheese wheel is aged.

A raclette grill is a small electric grill that you place in the middle of the table, allowing guests to heat their own cheese. You can find affordable raclette grills on Amazon for less than $50.

Raclette is a semihard cheese and Gruyère is a hard cheese that is aged for at least six months and up to 24 months. Raclette and a young Gruyère share a creamy and nutty flavor, while an aged Gruyère is more earthy and grainy.

What do you eat with raclette cheese? The classic preparation features roasted or boiled potatoes, typically baby or fingerling sized, in a waxy variety like Yukon Gold (rather than a starchy variety like Russet). You'll also want some baguettes or other artisan bread on hand as a melted cheese carrying device.