This week's new recipe choice goes to...

..."Leeky Welsh Rarebit" by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

I've been a fan of HF-W for a little while, mostly because of his rational approach to seasonal sensible food. I like the fact that he supports the growing of your own fruit and veg if you can, battles for free-range, organic whenever possible, fair food and good treatment of animals. I could ramble on about all these things for ages, but now is not the time, as I am here to talk about the above goodness that was today's lunch and this weeks new food resolution adventure.*

I was lucky enough to get "The River Cottage Year" for Christmas from N's parents and have thoroughly enjoyed not only the recipes but the writing. The best thing about it though it that it's organised according to months and what is in season. This is particularly perfect for us as our weekly Abel and Cole delivery is also seasonal and so H F-W has helped a lot in knowing what on earth to make with the weird and wonderful veggies that have turned up on the doorstep.

However, having tried all the January vegetable recipe suggestions, I seem to have left H F-W behind this past month. I've also been sidetracked by the Delia Smith "Vegetarian" book N and I picked up on our bonanza book buying weekend. So on Thursday lunch time whilst taking a break from work I decided to return to "The River Cottage Year" and see what delights he suggests for February in case I'd missed anything the month had to offer. Turns out I had. Leeky Welsh Rarebit.

The picture alone was enough to set taste buds going, and the discovery that it included beer made it a total must. So, having made a nice big white loaf for toast, during half-time I frantically threw together butter, flour, beer, cheese and leeks and presented, just in time for the second half, my first ever attempt at rarebit.

It was really nice, and just what a grey late-February lunchtime needed. My only changes next time would be to add some more mustard to the mix and to use mature cheddar (which the recipe suggests, but that we didn't have). We eat it with lashings of Daddies sauce and N dutifully finished off the left over beer; what a trooper.

And so now, all set up for the afternoon we're off to the garden centre for more pots so we can finally get out greenhouse experiments started. Thanks Hugh for inspiration all round today!

*Actually, there was another new food resolution adventure earlier in the week, but it was very minor and less successful, oh and I conveniently forgot to take any photos! I made baked parsnip crisps to have as nachos on Wednesday. However, they didn't cook evenly and shrunk much more dramatically than I had expected. Some were really nice, some were still soggy and some were burnt to a crips. Oops! Another Minor Failure for the North London Kitchen and hence why it didn't make the blog.