Raclette cheese

For a meal built around the grill, allow about 200 g per person, or a little more if you are serving few sides. Serve it with potatoes, cornichons and pickled onions so the cheese is not the only thing on the plate.

Put thin slices in a heatproof dish and grill them close to the element until bubbling and golden at the edges, usually a few minutes. Pour over hot boiled potatoes; keep an eye on it, as the cheese can go from melted to scorched quickly.

Boiled waxy potatoes, cornichons and pickled onions are the classic partners. Cured meats, mushrooms, peppers and crusty bread also work well, especially when you cook them alongside the cheese.

Wrap it tightly in cheese paper or baking paper, then put it in a sealed container in the fridge to limit drying and strong smells. Cut away only the amount you need, and keep the rest wrapped.

Choose a good melting cheese such as Gruyère, Appenzeller or fontina; slice it thinly so it melts before the surface browns. The flavour will differ, but it works over potatoes or in a raclette-style grill.

Pepper raclette has pepper added for a sharper, spicier flavour, while smoked raclette has a smoky aroma. Both melt much like plain raclette, so you can use them in the same meal and vary the flavour.

The name comes from the French verb racler, meaning “to scrape”. Traditionally, a cut face of cheese is heated and the softened layer is scraped over potatoes or bread.