In Valaisan cabins, half cheese wheels are placed on a stone slab at the edge of a hot wood fire. The cut side melts in seconds and the edges brown. Right before the cheese starts to flow, it is transferred to a plate (with gloves!) and served immediately with sides. Not all of the guests can eat this Raclette at the same time because the cheese would get cold.
Ingredients
- 1 organic lemon
- 1 organic orange
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 dried chili pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 pears or apples
- 1 lb 5 oz (600 g) Raclette cheese
- 1 bunch scallions
- 3½ oz (100 g) hazelnuts or walnuts
- ¼ cup honey
How to Make It
- Wash the citrus fruit in hot water and slice into rings. Add to a pot with 4 cups water, thyme, chili, salt, and sugar; bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. In the meantime, peel the pears, quarter, remove the cores, and slice into wedges. Add to the pot and cook for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Slice the Raclette cheese. Cut the scallions diagonally into ¾in (2 cm) thick pieces and coarsely chop the nuts. Remove the fruit from the liquid with a slotted spoon and let drip-dry. Dish into Raclette pans along with the scallions. Drizzle with honey and cover with sliced Raclette cheese. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake the Raclette for 5 minutes and serve immediately.