Considering I’m half Welsh, I don’t share numerous Welsh-inspired recipes here. I thought it was time for that to alter, because Wales is responsible for some incredible dishes– primarily great tacky ones! These cheesy Glamorgan hamburgers are a bit more labour-intensive than my normal 15 minute suppers (I swear there are fewer hours in the day than there were a few years ago?), however they were certainly worth the effort.
If you’re not knowledgeable about Welsh food, the title of this dish probably will not make a substantial amount of sense to you. They’re truly a mish mash of two different Welsh dishes:
— Welsh rarebit– a gooey cheese sauce put over crispy bread (essentially fancy cheese on toast).
— Glamorgan sausages– tacky vegetarian sausages made with Wales’ national symbol, the leek!
I chose to make Glamorgan hamburgers rather of Glamorgan sausages, just for a little a change, therefore I had an excuse to dress them up with salad, a bun, and– the pièce de résistance– the tacky rarebit topping.
Okay, let’s begin with the Glamorgan hamburgers themselves. I included a tin of chickpeas to the dish, which wouldn’t generally be found in Glamorgan sausages, simply to add some protein and make them feel a bit more like an appropriate meal (I’m all for my meals being 90% cheese, but I do feel I should try to be a bit of a grown up sometimes too).
( The eagle-eyed among you may discover that I started with 4 hamburgers in the pan, and ended up with just three. I didn’t eat a whole one while I was cooking– although it’s always tempting– but in the end I spread them out over two pans to give them a bit more space)
The Glamorgan burgers are remarkable in their own right, so if you can’t be bothered faffing about with the cheesy rarebit sauce, you’ll still have a fantastic dinner. However if you do have the time, everything is undoubtedly better when topped with cheese that’s both gooey and crispy at the exact same time.
I am literally in paradise with these.
Stick them in a bun with some lettuce and sliced tomatoes (there I go being a grown up again), and these rarebit topped Glamorgan hamburgers are quite unique.
Now I’m questioning what else I can top with rarebit … any concepts?
Cheesy rarebit topped Glamorgan burgers
Influenced by two traditional Welsh dishes, these cheese and leek veggie burgers are topped with a gooey, tacky rarebit sauce.
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Servings: 5 burgers
For the Glamorgan hamburgers:
- 2 tbsp oil, divided
- 1 big leek( or 2 little), halved lengthwise then sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 400 g tin chickpeas, drained (240 g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained pipes)
- 40 g bread( ~ 1 medium slice) – I used wholemeal
- Little handful fresh parsley
- 130 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1 1/3 cups when grated)
- 1 egg
- Salt
- Black pepper
For the rarebit topping:
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 tablespoon plain flour
- 80 ml( ~ 1/3 cup) milk
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 50 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1/2 cup when grated)
To serve:
- Hamburger buns, lettuce, chopped tomato, and so on
Kind the mixture into thick hamburger shapes – I ended up with 5 Glamorgan hamburgers, however you could make 4 or 6 if you adjust their size.
Include a couple of spoonfuls of the rarebit sauce to the top of each hamburger, and location under a hot grill (broiler) for a minute or so, to brown the cheese.
Serve the rarebit topped Glamorgan hamburgers in buns with salad.
Do not hesitate to skip the rarebit topping if you do not have time – it’s fantastic, but the Glamorgan burgers are great by themselves too.
Course: Main meals
Cuisine: Welsh
Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on precisely what active ingredients you pick. Info above is for 1/5 of the dish, not consisting of bun or salad.
If you elegant attempting rarebit in an even more uncommon way, try my beery Welsh rarebit lasagne!
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