Wynne Evans' St David’s Day feast!
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus - Happy St David's Day! To celebrate, we've got Celebrity Masterchef winner and proud Welshman Wynne Evans in the kitchen. He'll be showing us how to make the perfect Welsh lamb stew and he’s also bringing the much loved teatime treat passed from generation to generation - Welsh Cakes.
Mam’s cawl
Serves: 6
Ingredients
750g lamb steaks (diced, or lamb neck fillets)1 tbsp flour (mixed with a pinch of salt and pepper)1 tbsp rapeseed oil 4 large potatoes (scrubbed and diced) 4 large carrots (peeled and diced) ½ swede (peeled and diced) 2 parsnips (peeled and diced) Sea salt and ground black pepper to season 3 leeks (trimmed, sliced and rinsed thoroughly, greens and whites) Fresh parsley (chopped, to garnish) Crusty bread (to serve) Caerphilly Cheese (to serve)
Method
1. Dredge the diced lamb in the seasoned flour, and in a large stockpot heat the oil until hot. Add the floured, diced lamb and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring all the time, until the lamb has a golden brown crust.
2. Turn the heat down and pour in 2 litres of water, before adding the diced potatoes, carrots, swede and parsnips. Season with salt and pepper, place a lid on the pot and simmer for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and the vegetables are cooked. 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the chopped leeks, replace the lid and continue to cook.
3. Check and adjust the seasoning, scatter the chopped fresh parsley over the cawl and serve in warmed soup bowls, with crusty bread and Caerphilly cheese.
Top tip: Make the cawl the day before serving for the best results: skim off the fat, and reheat gently until piping hot. Serve as before.
Welsh cakes
Makes 11
Ingredients
225 plain flour85g caster sugar½ tsp mixed spice½ tsp baking powder50g butter50g lard 50g currants 1 eggSplash of milk
Method
1. Tip the flour, sugar, mixed spice, baking powder, and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter and lard with your fingers until crumbly.
2. Mix in the currants. Work the egg into the mixture until you have a soft dough, adding a splash of milk if it seems a little dry (it should be the same consistency as shortcrust pastry).
3. Roll out the dough onto a floured work surface, so that it is about 1cm thick. Using a 6cm cutter, cut the dough into circles, and re-roll any trimmings.
4. To cook the Welsh cakes, grease a flat griddle or heavy frying pan with lard and place over a medium heat. Cook the cakes for about 3 minutes each side, so they are golden brown, crisp and cooked through. (Cook them in batches)
5. Serve warm with butter and jam, or sprinkle with caster sugar.