You’ll either love or loathe this recipe

If you are a marmite lover this toasty could be your ultimate comfort food. It makes for an ideal supper or lunch in the lead up to the festivities.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 250ml milk
  • 50ml ale or stout
  • 80g extra mature cheddar
  • 1½ tsp English mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce , plus extra to serve
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil , plus extra for the eggs if using
  • 2 onions , halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar
  • 1 tbsp Marmite
  • 4 chunky slices sourdough bread
  • 2 eggs (optional)

Method

  1. Put the flour, butter, milk, beer, cheese and mustard into a pan, set over a medium heat and stir with a whisk until thickened and smooth.
  2. Add the Worcestershire sauce and cayenne.
  3. Cover the surface with a piece of baking parchment or cling film to prevent a skin forming and set aside to cool. You can make the rarebit sauce up to three days before using (store in the fridge).
  4. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Cook the onions in the pan for 15-20 mins until caramelised. Add the sugar and Marmite to the onions and cook for another 2-3 mins until sticky, adding a splash of water if it looks dry.
  5. Toast the slices of bread lightly and heat the grill. If you’re serving with an egg, heat a frying pan with a drizzle of oil.
  6. Spread 2 slices of toast with the onions and top with half the rarebit mixture.
  7. Cover the remaining 2 slices of bread with the rest of the rarebit mixture.
  8. Place under the grill until bubbling (about 2-3 mins), then sandwich the slices together with the cheesy onions in the middle. While they’re cooking, fry the eggs to your liking.
  9. Top the sandwiches with a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce, a grinding of pepper and the eggs.