Cawl () is a
Welsh dish. In modern Welsh, the word is used for any soup or broth; in English, it refers to a traditional Welsh soup, usually called ''cawl Cymreig'' (literally 'Welsh soup') in Welsh. Historically, ingredients tended to vary, but the most common recipes are
lamb or
beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...
with
leek
A leek is a vegetable, a cultivar of ''Allium ampeloprasum'', the broadleaf wild leek (synonym (taxonomy), syn. ''Allium porrum''). The edible part of the plant is a bundle of Leaf sheath, leaf sheaths that is sometimes erroneously called a "s ...
s,
potato
The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...
es,
swedes
Swedes (), or Swedish people, are an ethnic group native to Sweden, who share a common ancestry, Culture of Sweden, culture, History of Sweden, history, and Swedish language, language. They mostly inhabit Sweden and the other Nordic countries, ...
,
carrots and other seasonal vegetables. Cawl is recognised as a national dish of
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
.
History
With recipes dating back to the fourteenth century and prehistoric culinary roots, cawl is widely considered to be the ''
de facto'' national dish of Wales. Cawl was traditionally eaten during the winter months in the south-west of Wales.
[Davies, (2008) p.130] Today, the word is often used to refer to a dish containing lamb and leeks, due to their association with Welsh culture, but historically, it was made with either salted bacon or beef, along with swedes, carrots, and other seasonal vegetables.
With the introduction of the potato into Welsh cuisine in the later half of the 18th century, it became a core ingredient in the recipe as well.
The meat in the dish was normally cut into medium-sized pieces and simmered with the vegetables in water. The stock was thickened with either oatmeal or flour and was then served, without the meat or vegetables, as a first course.
The vegetables and slices of the meat would then be served as a second course.
Cawl served as a single course is today the most popular way to serve the meal, which is similar to its North Wales, equivalent ''lobsgows''. ''Lobsgows'' differ in that the meat and vegetables were cut into smaller pieces, and the stock was not thickened.
"
Cawl cennin", or leek cawl, can be made without meat but using meat stock. In some areas cawl is often served with bread and cheese. These are served separately on a plate. The dish was traditionally cooked in an iron pot or cauldron over the fire and eaten with wooden spoons.
Etymology
The word ''cawl'' in
Welsh is first recorded in the 14th century, and is thought to come from the
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
, meaning the stalk of a plant, a
cabbage stalk or a cabbage. An alternative suggestion is that it is from Latin ', sometimes already in Classical Latin shortened to ', meaning "warm", as this is the source of Spanish ', with the senses of broth or gravy. The second suggestion seems more likely because of the sense, but in favour of the first theory, it is true that one of the reflexes of Latin AU can be AW in Welsh, while the short A of ''calidus'' would normally give A.
[Henry Lewis ''Yr Elfen Ladin yn yr Iaith Cymraeg'' University of Wales Press]
See also
*
Fårikål
*
Irish stew
*
Lancashire hotpot
*
List of lamb dishes
*
Scotch broth
*
Scouse
Scouse ( ), more formally known as Liverpool English or Merseyside English, is an Accent (dialect), accent and dialect of English language, English associated with the city of Liverpool and the surrounding Merseyside. The Scouse accent is h ...
Notes
Further reading
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External links
BBC recipe for Cawl Cenninrecipe for cawl and other Welsh food
{{National symbols of Wales
British soups
Lamb dishes
National dishes
Welsh cuisine
Stock (food)