Cawl for tea for you and me?

Since starting up my little sales venture on Etsy, I've become even more enamored with all things Welsh and, as the weather has turned rainy and drab over here, it seems like the perfect time to try out an age old Welsh recipe - "Cawl" (pronounced cowl as in snood-y thing that goes over your head).

This recipe dates back to medieval times and is a sort of thin stew or broth-y type thing. Over the years, when money was tight, this meal would sit on the fire (later, on the stove) for days and whatever vegetables people could get their hands on would be thrown in to make the dish go further; a bit like curry and chili, Cawl is always better as the days go by!

Traditionally it's made with mutton, vegetables, and stock and would be eaten with bread dipped in the broth; It might not sound as appetising as it actually is from the description I've given, but on a day like today it's comfort food!

So I made it yesterday, left it to stand for the day, and tonight's tea is patiently waiting for us :)

CAWL RECIPE

Lamb - cheap cut
1 onion - roughly chopped
8 peppercorns
1 small swede
4 carrots
4 large potatoes
3 large leeks
Knob of butter
chopped parsley

Stage 1

1 Cover the lamb with water, add onion, peppercorns, and salt. Boil water and simmer for a couple of hours until the meat falls off the bone.

2 Remove the lamb from water and strain the stock. When the lamb is cool, remove meat from the bone, discard the bone and any excess fat. Cut meat into chunks.

3 When stock is cool skim off the excess fat. Leaving the stock overnight will leave a hard fat covering on the top which can be removed in one piece if you prefer..

Stage 2

1 Chop vegetables into large chunks .

2 Melt butter in large pan and soften swede and carrot, then add the parsnip, potato when these have begun to soften.

3 Add the leeks when the rest of the vegetables have started to soften.

4 Add lamb stock and the lamb chunks.

5 Add more water if necessary ensuring the vegetables are covered.

6 Bring back to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are cooked (1/2 hour or an hour, it depends on personal preference of how you like your vegetables).

7 Add a handful of chopped parsley and season to taste.

Serve with freshly ground pepper, crusty bread, and mature cheddar cheese.