Authentic Cawl Recipe Wales, Europe

This traditional Welsh soup consists of meat — usually lamb, but beef, mutton, fish, bacon, and seafood are also used — that has been simmered with root vegetables and seasoned with aromatic herbs. The traditional method of preparation involves sautéeing bone-in meat with onions before the vegetables are added, but other methods of preparing cawl are also prevalent. Recipes vary from region to region and depend on the available ingredients but can also be adjusted to suit the personal tastes of the chef. Although this soup may contain any root and winter vegetable, an authentic cawl should always have potatoes and leeks. Cawl is said to taste better if left to rest overnight or even for a couple of days, leaving the flavors time to develop. The dish is traditionally served with buttered bread and a piece of cheese, but it can also be eaten as a two-course meal in which the broth is served first, followed by a second course of meat and root vegetables.