Meals for Under £10: Cawl

THIS week’s recipe is a Welsh dish, cawl.

It’s come to mean any soup or broth, but traditionally, it was made on the day you planned to eat it, using whatever meat and vegetables were available.

There are countless recipes for cawl in Wales and they are often handed down through families.

It is served in some areas with chunks of homemade bread and cheese.

Using a cheaper cut of meat on the bone gives the best flavour.

You’ll need:

1 kg middle neck or shoulder Welsh lamb, Welsh beef or ham hock

1 onion, roughly chopped

6 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 small swede or 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped

2 leeks – washed and sliced

1 small bunch fresh parsley

Vegetable stock

Method:

Place the meat in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 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 onion, potatoes, carrots, swede or parsnips and simmer until cooked.

Add more vegetable stock if required. Season with salt and pepper.

Finally, add the shredded leeks and, 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.