Raclette? Switzerland Help please!?

I went skiing to switzerland last week with the Girl guides and i have to do a meeting about it, so any ideas for a Swiss themed night are welcome too! There are about 30 of us, aged 11-16, all female. I want games and craft ideas, or any traditional Swiss things. Our meeting is 2hours long but i only have 1.5 hours to do my things. So I am going to make raclette at my next guide meeting.



I need to know how to make raclette for 30 people, they only need to be a taster size, so maybe a portion between 6? What sort of cheese do i use? I live in England so are there any cheeses here that i can use? It must be fast and easy to make because they will be making it themselves in about 30 mins, but i can cook potatoes etc. at home if needed.Raclette? Switzerland Help please!?
Original Raclette Recipe



This traditional and simple raclette recipe should be the first you try on your raclette grill.



For 4 Persons.



* 8 small/medium potatoes

* 700g Raclette Cheese

* 1 jar pickled gherkin cucumbers (cornichons)

* 4 small onions (or shallots)

* 24 slices salami or ham

* freshly ground pepper



Raclette ingredients Other optional ingredients:

leg ham, prosciutto (thin Italian ham), pepperoni(spiced salami), tomatoes, pineapple, capsicum, prawns, fresh or dried herbs, avocado, onions, marinated chicken/beef, mushrooms, celery, asparagus, olives, crusty bread, or salads.



Method



1. Brush potatoes under running water and place in microwave-proof bowl half filled with luke warm water and cook on high for 6 mins in their skins. Alternatively you can boil the potatoes on the stove top in a pot filled with water for approximately 18mins on high.

2. Remove the rind (outer surface) from the cheese. You will need a sharp knife to remove the rind. Once the rind is removed slice 2mm thick slices (thinner if preferred) from the block using a knife or wire cheese slicer. Place on a serving dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until required.

3. Arrange gherkins, onions and salami/ham on a platter and set aside until required.

4. When ready to serve, set table and place raclette grill in the centre of your table and placed cooked potatoes on top of raclette grill in metal bowl or saucepan with lid to keep warm and place gherkins, onions and cheese on table.

5. Turn raclette grill on to begin to heat up (takes only a minute or two). Each guest takes a slice of cheese, places it in their pan and slides it under the raclette grill to melt. It takes approximately 2 mins to melt to a creamy consistency and 3 mins for a more crispier top. In the meantime take a potato, place onto your plate and cut it into a few pieces and take out the pan from under the grill once it's reached it's preferred consistency and hold the pan onto its side to scrape the cheese out using your wooden spatula. Non- stick pans will allow the cheese to just slide off.

6. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper.



Hints



* The rind of raclette cheese may be hard to cut through with conventional cheese wire cutters. As you hack away at the rind with your sharp knife be careful to remove just a little of the outer surface of the cheese. It can be quite tricky. We didn't say that there wont be any work involved! The vegetable peeler is handy to remove the curved edge side of the cheese block.

* Accompanying ingredients (gherkins, onions, herbs, spices etc.) can also be heated under the grill together with the cheese at the same time.

* In Australia the most common potato variety is Sebago which comes brushed (unwashed) or washed (sometimes called "new") but why not try other potato varieties which are even tastier like :

-Kipfler : cigar shaped, yellow skin, meaty flesh.

-Nicola : oblong-long shaped, rich yellow skin, yellow flesh.

-Bintje : oblong - long shape, cream coloured skin, light yellow flesh

-Desire :round, pink skin, pale yellow flesh.

* Try baking potatoes wrapped in foil. Bake for 40 mins at 250掳C. For a more chewier skin bake without foil.

YI++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++