Welsh Cawl (with or without Neck of Lamb)
Serves 4
Preparation/Cooking Time 2½ hours
A wonderful Winter warming dish which can also be made without adding the meat, and you can also add herby dumplings to make this dish even more filling. Cawl is a traditional dish from Wales and usually eaten with home made bread and Caerfilly Cheese. This dish can be made in advance.
Ingredients
½ kg neck of lamb, cut into chunks
1.2 litres boiing water
2 vegetable cubes, or chicken or beef can be used if adding meat
2 carrots, sliced
2 parsnips, sliced
400g swede, cubed
400g baking potatoes, chopped into cubes
2 leeks, sliced
2 sprigs of thyme or one teaspoon of dried thyme.
2-3 tablespoons oatmeal (for thickening)
1 x 400g tin cooked butter beans, with their liquid
Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Handful fresh parsley, chopped
AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.....
- Place the meat in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 hours over a low heat. Leave overnight to cool and the following day skim off any fat that has risen to the surface.
- Cut the meat off the bone and return to the stock then add the potatoes, carrots, swede or parsnips and simmer until cooked. Add more vegetable stock if required at this point. Season with salt and pepper.
- Finally add the shredded leeks and tin of butter beans.
- Just before serving throw in the roughly chopped parsley. You can thicken the cawl if required with a paste made with flour and water or fine oatmeal.