How to make the perfect Welsh Cawl at home

Laelia Yang November 15, 2020 | 23:22

Traditional Welsh Lamb Cawl (Lamb & Vegetable Stew) is often seen as being the national dish of Wales. KnowInsider recommend some tips to make perfect Welsh Cawl at home now. Take a look!

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Photo: lavenderandlovage.com

What is Welsh Cawl?

Cawl is a Welsh dish. In modern Welsh the word is used for any soup or broth; in English it refers to a traditional Welsh soup, usually called cawl Cymreig in Welsh. Historically, ingredients tended to vary, but the most common recipes are with lamb or beef with leeks, potatoes, swedes, carrots and other seasonal vegetables. Cawl is recognised as a national dish of Wales.

The all-important ingredients

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Photo: walesonline.co.uk

The first step to make perfect Welsh Cawl is preparing all-important ingredients, including:

Welsh Lamb Steaks, diced (or Lamb neck fillets)

Flour, mixed with a pinch of salt & pepper

Rapeseed Oil

Potatoes, scrubbed and diced

Carrots, peeled & diced

Swede, peeled & diced

Parsnips, peeled & diced

Leeks, trimmed, sliced & rinsed thoroughly (greens and whites)

Sea Salt & Ground Black Pepper, to season

Fresh Parsley, chopped (to garnish)

Method

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.

Some tips to make perfect Welsh Cawl

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Photo: hotfood.web.app

1. Cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes and meat separately for about half hour then combine the two and let simmer for 1.5 hours.

2. It is better to use a cheaper cut of meat on the bone so that maximum flavour is obtained. You can also serve the meat separately to the vegetable soup.

3. The mix of root vegetables used in this recipe is a traditional assortment, you can vary to make a less than traditional version. Celeriac would make a nice addition.

4. The beauty of this recipe is you have two dishes in one. The broth from the recipe can be served first as a soup or starter course, followed by the meat, potatoes, and vegetables as a main.

5. Make the previous day and re-heat, making sure it is piping through before serving. Save leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for reheating as Welsh cawl tastes better the next day and even the day after

If you see some tips useful, try to make Welsh cawl and share with us in comment section. You may like other cooking topics below:

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