A hearty broth of lamb, leeks, potatoes, and root vegetables. Wales's national dish, warming and sustaining on cold days.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Vessel: deep ceramic bowl
Garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, crumbled Caerphilly cheese
Accompaniments: crusty bread, Welsh butter
Instructions
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1
Place the lamb neck chops in a large heavy pot and cover with about two litres of cold water. Add the bay leaf and thyme sprigs, then bring to a boil over high heat, carefully skimming off any grey foam that rises to the surface.
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2
Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar, and cook for one and a half hours. The lamb should become very tender and begin to pull away from the bone, while the broth develops a rich, meaty flavour.
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3
Add the carrots, swede, and parsnip to the pot and stir gently. Continue simmering uncovered for fifteen minutes, allowing the root vegetables to begin softening while absorbing the deep flavour of the lamb broth.
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4
Add the potato chunks and cook for another fifteen minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife but still holding their shape. The broth should now be slightly thickened from the starch released by the potatoes.
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5
Add the sliced leeks to the pot in the final eight to ten minutes of cooking only. Leeks turn mushy when overcooked, so they should be soft and silky but still holding their round shape when the cawl is ready to serve.
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6
Remove the lamb chops from the broth and strip the meat from the bones, discarding the bones, bay leaf, and thyme stalks. Shred or chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and return them to the pot, stirring gently to distribute.
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7
Season the cawl generously with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Ladle into deep warmed bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve with thick slices of crusty bread and wedges of mature cheddar cheese alongside.
Did You Know?
Cawl traditionally improves by sitting overnight — it is always better the next day.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- large stock pot
- ladle
- sharp knife
Garnishing
chopped fresh parsley, crumbled Caerphilly cheese
Accompaniments
crusty bread, Welsh butter
The Story Behind Cawl
The Story: Cawl is the national dish of Wales, a hearty broth of lamb or beef simmered with leeks, potatoes, carrots, swede (rutabaga), and parsnips until the meat is falling-apart tender and the broth is rich with the flavors of the garden and the pasture. The word cawl simply means soup or broth in Welsh, reflecting its fundamental place in the national diet. The dish has been the cornerstone of Welsh home cooking for centuries, traditionally prepared in a single large pot (crochan) that hung over the fire and was replenished and reheated over several days, improving with each warming.
On the Calendar: Cawl is a cold-weather staple, served from autumn through spring as the main meal. It holds special importance on St. David's Day (March 1st), when it is served across Wales as a celebration of national identity.
Then and Now: The basic preparation has changed little over centuries, though modern cooks may add their own touches. Some Welsh cooks serve the broth as a first course and the meat and vegetables as a second, while others serve everything together in a single bowl with crusty bread and Caerphilly cheese.
Legacy: Cawl is the taste of the Welsh hearth, a dish that has warmed families through centuries of mountain winters and remains the most honest expression of what it means to eat Welsh.
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