Irish Rarebit On Soda Bread With Cheddar Cheese And Ale - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or 1 teaspoon English mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup milk or 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup irish stout beer, such as Guinness
2 finely chopped spring onions (green onions)
1 cup irish cheddar cheese, grated (or similar Cheddar cheese)
salt and pepper
4 slices soda bread

Preparation

Melt the butter in a heavy pan and stir in flour to make a roux. Cook on a low heat for a further minute without allowing it to brown.
Remove pan from heat and gradually beat the milk or buttermilk into the roux. Return to heat and stir until the mixture thickens. Stir in mustard and honey, spring onions and finally the stout/Guinness. Cook this mixture fairly rapidly for 2-3 minutes then add the grated cheese and stir over very low heat only until all the cheese has melted.
Spread thickly on four slices of soda bread and place under the grill until golden brown and bubbling. Serve hot with soups, stews, salad, chutneys or pickles.
(Serves 2 as a light meal or snack with salad and 4 as an accompaniment to soup or stew.).