Did you know that the cornichon in the picture is completely jealous of the potato that gets to wear the melted cheese version of a fur coat? She was complaining to the pearl onion about it for most of the food photo shoot. But we all know that the real talent in this dish is the cheese.

Raclette is a fabulous cheese and a traditional meal that originated in Switzerland. Technically one only needs five ingredients to eat Raclette as a meal: Raclette, cornichons, pickled pearl onions, boiled potatoes, and fresh ground black pepper. No wait! I forgot the wine! Okay, six ingredients. Personally,

I like my Raclette with a nice Savoie, like Domaine De la Chancelière Chignin Savoie. Why? It has a nice zippy acidity that cuts through the richness of the cheese and a fruitiness that is also complimentary.

For me, this is a perfect meal (best enjoyed while wearing pajama pants).

Ingredients

Serves 4

Method

Special equipment: a Raclette grill   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette#Dish

Each guest gets four potatoes and 200 grams of cheese. Place a slice of cheese in your coupelles (the tiny tray) and melt it under the burner of the grill and pour it over your potato. Now add a bit of black pepper, and enjoy. Sip a bit of you nicely chilled Savoie and maybe try a cornichon….Yes, in that order. Be careful not to burn your mouth on the hot cheese. 

I should probably mention that the above recipe is the traditional amount for four people assuming that you would be serving additional salads as side dishes or maybe some type of charcuterie. But really, I could probably eat that whole portion for four people myself and then ask for more. So use it as a guide.

Many people also like to grill things like shrimp, meat, or vegetables on top of the grill. I have even seen people put ground sausage in the coupelles where the cheese usually goes. But heck, if that’s what you like, then do it. Here are some additional accoutrements for your fabulous raclette dinner…..