Cawl
Cawl is a traditionally hearty dish made of meat and any vegetables available. It’s a great traditional Welsh broth, cheap, very tasty and easy to make. There are many Cawl recipes and these are often handed down through the family and vary from town to town throughout Wales. The dish is also known as ‘lobscows’ in areas of north Wales. You’ll find Cawl is often better the day after you have prepared it as all the flavours have developed.
In some areas of Wales, Cawl is served in a wooden bowl and eaten with a wooden spoon with chunks of homemade bread and Welsh cheese.
Serves 6
You’ll need:
1 kg Welsh lamb, middle neck or shoulder, or Welsh beef or a ham hock
1 onion, roughly chopped
6 medium Maris Piper potatoes – peeled and chopped
3 carrots – peeled and chopped
1 small swede or 2 parsnips – peeled and chopped
2 leeks – washed and sliced
1 small bunch fresh parsley
Vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
Mature Caerphilly cheese, to serve.
What next?
- Place the meat in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 hours over a low heat. Leave overnight to cool and the following day skim off any fat that has risen to the surface.
- Cut the meat off the bone and return to the stock then add the potatoes, carrots, swede or parsnips and simmer until cooked. Add more vegetable stock if required at this point. Season with salt and pepper.
- Finally add the shredded leeks and just before serving throw in the roughly chopped parsley. You can thicken the cawl if required with a paste made with flour and water or fine oatmeal.
Suggestion: Try cheaper cuts of meat on the bone so that maximum flavour is obtained.
