How to Do Raclette at Home

Raclette is the most relaxed dinner party there is. Melted cheese is scraped — that is what racler means — over potatoes, pickles and cured meat, and everyone cooks their own. It needs almost no skill and almost no planning. Here is how to run one at home.

What raclette actually is

Two things share the name: the cheese, a semi-hard Alpine cheese from Switzerland and Savoie, and the meal built around melting it. Traditional raclette is a whole wheel of cheese held to a fire and scraped onto plates. The home version uses a tabletop raclette machine with small pans.

The cheese

Buy raclette cheese specifically — it is designed to melt smoothly and has the right balance of salt and nuttiness. It comes plain or flavoured with pepper, garlic or herbs, all of which work. If you cannot find it, a young Comté, Gruyère or a mild Gouda will melt acceptably, but the flavour will be different.

What to serve with it

• Potatoes — boiled, waxy, kept warm
• Cornichons and pickled onions — the essential sharp counterpoint
• Bread — crusty, for scooping
• Cured meats — ham, prosciutto, salami
• Blanched vegetables — cauliflower, broccoli, peppers
• Black pepper and paprika for the cheese pan

How to run the meal

1. Cook and keep the potatoes warm. Do everything else on the table.
2. Slice the cheese thinly so it melts quickly in the little pans.
3. Each guest fills a pan, adds toppings and slides it under the element.
4. When it is bubbling, scrape it over the potatoes and eat.
5. Keep the table laid with everything — the meal is a marathon, not a race.

Which machine to look for

Look for one with both a top grill for the cheese and a lower stone or grill for warming food — the better models let you grill and melt at once. A machine that only melts cheese is fine but limits you. Non-stick pans make cleanup much easier.

Troubleshooting and safety

Cheese that spits or burns is usually too close to the element; pull the pans down a notch. Keep the machine on a heatproof surface and away from children, and remember that melted cheese is very hot. As with fondue, keep cooked food out no longer than a couple of hours.

Raclette is a cousin of fondue and belongs in the same Alpine family as Gruyère and Emmental.