Date: Wed 22 Feb 2023
Welsh Cawl
A traditional dish, perfect for weekdays and St David's Day!
Cawl is a relatively simple dish, but it is so full of flavour, and is a perfect mid-week meal. It's also the national dish of Wales, so make sure you've got your ingredients ready for St David's Day on March 1st.
The recipe varies by region, and by person, but would traditionally have been cooked with home-cured bacon, along with whatever bits of meat were available or leftover from another meal. As most of us don't have a pig in our back garden any more, we've made it with gammon hock and lamb neck. You can easily swap this for lamb shoulder, shin of beef or beef short ribs, or more pork! You could also use a smoked gammon hock to get a rich smoky flavour running through the broth.
It's best to cook the meat a day in advance, or in the morning, so that you can skim any fat off.
You will need:
- Gammon hock
- Your choice of meat on the bone
- Onion
- Potatoes, peeled and diced
- Carrots
- Swede and/or parsnips
- Leeks
- Fresh parsley
- Veg stock
- Salt and pepper
- Sear the meat in a heavy sauce pan before covering with water and simmering for 2-3 hours on a low heat, or until the meat begins to fall from the bone. If possible, leave overnight to cool so you can remove any excess fat easily.
- Remove the bones, and add the veg stock and vegetables. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked to your liking, and season.
- Shred the leeks and add these to the soup for the last few minutes. Chop the parsley and add this before serving.
- You can thicken the soup using a roux, or add a splash of cream for extra richness, a splash of Worcestershire sauce to taste is also a great addition to bring out the flavours.