In short: Raclette in its original form: melted cheese over potatoes in their skins, with cured meats, gherkins and pickled onions. This is the basic recipe, the one to master before all the others.
📲 The videos that inspired this recipe
Chef’s tip
Traditional raclette comes down to three words: cheese, potatoes, patience. The rest is a matter of conviviality, extension cords and negotiations over the last raclette pan.
The secret lies in the cheese and in the quantity. Plan on 200 to 250 g of cheese per person: less means frustration; more means a compulsory nap. Take it out of the refrigerator half an hour ahead so it melts evenly.
| Prep time | 15 min |
|---|---|
| Cook time | 25 min |
| Total | 40 min |
| Servings | 4 people (adjustable) |
| Difficulty | Very easy |
Ingredients (for 4 people)
- 1 kg sliced raclette cheese (raw milk preferred)
- 1.2 kg firm-fleshed potatoes (Charlotte, Amandine or Ratte)
- 400 g cured meats: raw ham, cooked ham, dried beef, rosette sausage
- 1 jar of gherkins
- 1 jar of pickled pearl onions
- Coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Take out the cheese. Take the cheese out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before the meal and arrange the slices on a plate.
- Cook the potatoes. Wash the potatoes without peeling them and cook them for 20 to 25 minutes in salted water or in a steamer. They are ready when the tip of a knife goes through them with no resistance.
- Keep warm. Drain the potatoes and keep them warm in a basket covered with a dish towel, or on top of the grill.
- Set the table. Arrange the cured meats on a large platter, and the gherkins and pickled onions in small bowls, in the middle of the table.
- Switch on the grill. Plug the raclette grill in at the center of the table and let it heat up for 10 minutes.
- Melt the cheese. Everyone places a slice of cheese in their raclette pan and slides it under the heating element for 2 to 4 minutes, until it is melted and lightly golden.
- Serve. Spoon the melted cheese over the halved potatoes, add pepper and serve with cured meats, gherkins and pickled onions.
The chef’s tips
- Don’t leave the cheese under the heating element for too long: overcooked, it turns rubbery.
- Cut the potatoes in half on your plate: the cheese clings better to the flesh.
- Serve a well-dressed green salad: the acidity lightens the meal.
- Get an extension cord long enough for the grill to really sit in the middle of the table.
Variations
- Smoked raclette, peppered raclette or wild garlic raclette, for a change of flavor.
- Vegetarian version: mushrooms, grilled vegetables and potatoes, with no cured meats.
- For a big group, a half wheel and a scraper replace the raclette pans.
Which wine to serve?
A dry mountain white wine: Fendant from Valais, Apremont or Chignin. Its acidity cuts through the richness of the cheese. In Switzerland, people also happily drink hot black tea.
Frequently asked questions
How much cheese per person for a raclette?
Plan on 200 to 250 g of cheese per person, a little more for big appetites.
How many potatoes per person?
About 300 g per person, or 3 to 4 medium potatoes.
Should I remove the rind of the cheese?
No, the rind is edible. You can remove it if you find it too strong.
🧀 The right grill: the 3-in-1 raclette crepe maker (pans, grill and crepes) or the half-wheel grill, our comparison.
Read also: Oven-baked raclette potato and Raclette croquettes: the next-day recipe that fights food waste
