Carrot soup and Welsh rarebit with mustard and leeks

Method

1. Melt the butter in a deep pan. Add the carrots, sweet potato and onion and toss in the butter until coated. Cover and cook gently for 10 minutes, adding a little water if necessary. Add the rice, nutmeg and stock or water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Use a stick blender to blend the soup, or whizz in a food processor, in batches, and return to the pan.
3. For the Welsh rarebit, melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan, then add the leeks and cook for about
4. 5 minutes, until soft and wilted. In a bowl, combine the cheese, Worcestershire sauce, egg yolk, mustard and cayenne, mashing well. Add the leeks and mix well. Add the beer and mix to a spreadable paste, adding a little more if it’s too thick.
5. Spread the cheese mixture over the toast, right to the edges. Place under the grill for 2 minutes or until hot and melted. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, top with bay leaves and serve with the Welsh rarebit.