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Welsh cawl
Cawl: Welsh lamb, leek and root vegetable broth
Cawl is the national dish of Wales, a slow broth of lamb on the bone, swede, carrots, potatoes and leeks that farmhouses kept simmering through the winter, and which is eaten with bread and a hunk of Caerphilly on St David's Day. Many families serve the broth first and the meat and vegetables after, and say cawl tastes best on the second day. Chef's tip: chill it overnight and lift off the fat that sets on top for a cleaner broth.
- Total time
- 170 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put the 2 ¼ lb lamb neck or shoulder on the bone in a large pot with the 8 ¼ cups water, bring slowly to the boil and skim off the grey foam.
15 minStep 2: Add the 1 onion, 3 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf and 1 ½ tsp salt and simmer gently, half covered, for 1 hour.
60 minStep 3: Add the 10 ½ oz swede, 3 carrots and 1 parsnip and simmer 30 minutes, then the 1 ⅛ lb potatoes for 20 minutes, until everything is tender and the lamb is falling from the bone.
50 minStep 4: Lift out the lamb, pull the meat from the bones in chunks and return it, throwing away bones and gristle.
10 minStep 5: Add the green part of the 2 leeks and simmer 10 minutes more. A common mistake is adding the leeks early, which turns them to mush. Season with ½ tsp black pepper, scatter with 2 tbsp parsley and serve in bowls with bread and cheese.
12 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does welsh cawl take?
- About 170 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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