Cawl

Instructions

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.