Welsh Cawl (Lamb and Root Vegetable Soup)
Some find it hard to discern a Welsh Cawl from a traditional Lamb Stew, but its rich, brothy base is usually a good indicator. Similar to Scotch Broth, it heroes the very best of British produce in a hearty-hug-in-a-bowl type fare that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Ingredients
- 750 g lamb shank lamb neck or shoulder cuts would work well too (all bone in)
- salt and pepper
- 4 lamb stock cubes or vegetable if you prefer
- 3.5 litres of water
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 leek finely sliced
- 2 carrots cubed
- 3 stalks celery finely chopped
- ½ swede also known as neeps/rutabaga - cubed
- 1 kg potatoes unpeeled weight - cut into chunks once peeled
- 15 g fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Add a little oil to a large soup pot and allow to heat up whilst you coat the 750 g lamb shank with some salt and pepper
- Place lamb shank into a large soup pot and brown off on all sides (make sure to caramelise the meat on the outside as much as you can) before pouring in lamb stock (4 lamb stock cubes dissolved in 3.5 litres of water)
- Simmer on medium heat for 1 - 1.5 hours, skimming any scum/fat off the top of the soup as needed. You can also blot the top of the soup with kitchen paper before the next step, to remove any residual fat droplets, if desired.
- During this time, prepare vegetables: finely chop 1 onion, 2 carrots, 3 stalks celery and cut ½ swede into cubes, finely slice 1 leek and peel and chop 1 kg potatoes into chunks
- Add all vegetables except for the potato into the soup pot with the lamb shank and simmer for another 1 - 1.5 hours
- Cook potatoes in separate pot (See Notes) with salted water until tender (approx 10-15 minutes - this ensures the potatoes aren’t overcooked), drain and leave to one side
- Once the vegetables in the soup pot are tender and the lamb has been simmering for 2.5 - 3 hours in total, remove it from the pot and allow to cool on a plate before shredding the meat from the bone
- Add approx. ⅔ of the cooked potatoes into the soup pot (retaining the rest to add back in with the shredded lamb)
- Optional step: using a potato masher give the soup a light mash until some of the vegetables break up and help to thicken the soup consistency a little (if you prefer clear broth and thick chunks of vegetables retained then skip this step)
- Then, add the freshly chopped parsley, shredded lamb meat and final ⅓ of cooked potatoes back into the soup
- Season with salt and white pepper to taste, then serve the Welsh Cawl with traditional sides of crusty white bread and some Welsh cheese (
Notes
Potatoes: my Welsh Gran's method was to cook the potatoes in separate pot with salted water until tender, drain and leave to one side. This ensures the potatoes are perfectly tender when added to the soup. As they start to lose their structure and get a bit mushy when overcooked in the soup for too long. You can choose either option - as the potatoes will be cooked regardless.
My Gran also chose to gently mash some of the soup to help thicken it a little (retaining some full chunks of potato) instead of the traditional Welsh Cawl approach of retaining a clear broth, shredded meat and vegetable chunks.
Storage: Welsh Cawl Soup will last for -
- 4-5 days in the fridge
- 4 months in the freezer
Nutrition
Calories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 15gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 76mgPotassium: 1059mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3868IUVitamin C: 49mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 3mg
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