Something Like Welsh Cawl Stew (The Art of Substitution)
My maiden name, Wallace, is a Scottish surname that means “Welshman”. Though I don’t know the specifics of my paternal ancestors’ lineage or immigration to the States, I can assume my father’s people started out somewhere in the Scotland/England/Wales regions. I can feel that lineage when I listen to Scottish music and I am repeatedly drawn to recipes that originated in those areas. So, when I stumbled upon a recipe for one of Wales’ national dishes, Cawl Stew, I knew I had to make it, even though I didn’t have most of the ingredients in my pantry!
A brief history, gathered from reading a multitude of different recipes online, is that Cawl is a Welsh broth traditionally made from lamb shoulder and leeks. It is more specifically called “Cawl Cymreig”. As I scrolled through recipes, I noticed that each one was different. Some called for beef shank, some for bacon, some for swede (which I just learned is rutubaga!), some called for hours of simmering and others for chilling the broth overnight! One recipe suggested serving the broth separately from the meat and potatoes, while another recommended serving it all together with bread. So, I decided to get creative, follow my heart, and use what I had in my kitchen to make my own version of a Cawl Welsh Stew. Food is personal, afterall, and we make it our own whether we realize it or not.
Though I didn’t have all the proper ingredients and my arm was sore from a day of carrying my radiant niece around the thrift store,
I was determined to make Cawl Stew! It ended up being a sweet evening, with Alex as my food photographer and a spirit of creativity in the air.
So, here is a compilation of ingredients for Cawl Stew. As long as you simmer a combination of these into a tasty broth, all will be well.
List of ingredients
lard/butter
lamb shoulder/beef shank (or as I used, beef stew cubes…because that’s what I had)
onions, roughly chopped
rutabaga or swede, roughly chopped (I didn’t have any, used celery instead)
carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
leeks (I didn’t have any of these, either! I didn’t have a lot of things…)
potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped ( I prefer using small red potatoes and leaving their skin on)
bay leaf, thyme and parsley
salt and pepper
How I Made the Stew
In a stockpot, brown the vegetables in butter (leaving out the potatoes). Remove the vegetables from the pot and add the meat, browning on all sides. Return the vegetables to the pot with the meat. Add bay leaf and herbs. Cover everything with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour or two, until the meat is tender! Then add potatoes and simmer for another half hour. Add salt and pepper. Serve hot.
I read that allowing the stew to chill overnight gives it tremendous flavor the next day, warmed up and served with cheese and bread. (I am popping back on here the following evening to confirm that the stew does indeed increase in flavor after chilling in the refrigerator.)
Speaking of bread, I made a loaf of sourdough in my Dutch Oven last night and WOW, what a difference it makes. The crustiest, fullest loaf I’ve ever made.
So, to wrap things up, I made something like Cawl Welsh Stew, though there was no lamb nor were there leeks. It tasted delicious and we used what we had. We were nourished. That’s the important part. I think there’s something to be said for pressing on and doing something even if you don’t have all the “proper” tools. Next time though, I’d like to use lamb, and make something a little more like Cawl…
Until next time,
Elle
p.s. Thank you to my husband Alex who spent the evening lighting candles, moving bowls of stew, and slicing bread in order to take some beautiful photos!
