Welsh Cawl

Making Welsh Cawl

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1. Put the lamb in a large pot with the cold water, bring slowly to a simmer and skim the grey foam off carefully for the first 10 minutes.

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2. Add the bay, thyme and salt, half cover, and simmer very gently for 1 1/2 hours until the lamb is tender.

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3. Ideally divide it between shallow containers, refrigerate within 2 hours and leave overnight, then lift off the set fat. If cooking straight through, spoon the fat off the surface.

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4. Bring the broth back to a simmer and add the onions, carrots, swede and parsnips. Cook 20 minutes.

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5. Add the potatoes and cook another 15 minutes until everything is tender.

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6. Add the leeks and cabbage and cook 8 minutes only, so they keep their colour.

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7. Lift out the lamb, pull the meat from the bones in large pieces and return it to the pot.

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8. Stir in the parsley, season with black pepper and check the salt.

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9. Serve the broth in bowls first, then the meat and vegetables, with bread (optional) and Caerphilly.

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Related guide: Ingredient substitutions.

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Small Things That Help

• Start in cold water and skim properly. It is the only way to a clear broth.
• Overnight in the fridge, fat lifted off. Worth the wait.
• Leeks and cabbage last, eight minutes. They are the point of the dish.

Serving Suggestions

• Caerphilly cheese and bread
• A pint of Welsh ale
• Bara brith afterwards

Leftovers and Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days, better each day, and freeze 3 months.

Nutrition per Serving

No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (some ingredient lines cannot be read). Why some recipes have none.

Gluten-free when served without the crusty bread.