Words by Melissa Blease
Traditional Welsh Cawl
Friday 1 March is St David's Day – what better way to mark the occasion than with a big pot of traditional Welsh lamb stew, aka the legendary Cawl?
But why are we telling you this one week in advance? Because, as with all stews and casseroles, this one benefits from being made at least one day before you want to eat it. Allow your cooked Cawl to cool completely, store in the fridge and, when you're ready to feast, skim off any fat that may have collected on the top of the pan and reheat gently until piping hot.
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
800g Welsh lamb neck fillet, diced
2 tbsp seasoned flour
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
4 large potatoes, scrubbed and diced
4 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium-sized swede, peeled and diced
2 large parsnips, peeled and diced
3 large leeks, trimmed and sliced
2l lamb or vegetable stock
To serve: crusty bread; mature Caerphilly cheese
Method
1. Dredge the diced lamb in 1 tbsp of the seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a large, lidded saucepan and brown the lamb over a high heat until you've created a golden-brown crust on all sides (you'll probably need to do this in batches). Set the browned lamb to one side.
2. Turn the heat down under the pan and add a little more oil. Add the onions to the pan and sauté for around 4-5 minutes or until translucent, adding the remaining 1 tbsp seasoned flour for the last minute or so and stirring well.
3. Add the diced potatoes, carrots, swede, parsnips, browned lamb and stock to the pan. Stir well and bring to the boil before reducing the heat and simmering, partially covered, for around 1.5 hours or until the meat is tender. Add the leeks to the pan, partially cover the pan again and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Serve in warm bowls accompanied by crusty bread and sprinkled with generous handfuls of Caerphilly cheese.
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