Fat Dogs Welsh Recipes
In Fat Dogs and Welsh Estates, I talk about the delicious meals we were given as children. Generally home-grown or locally sourced, Ma’s ingredients were gathered from the kitchen garden, land and sea. We ate like royalty, although that perhaps doesn’t describe the origins of Welsh cuisine accurately. It wasn’t until later that I learned more about the essence of traditional Welsh cooking.
Welsh recipes passed down the generations among country folk were intended to sustain quarrymen, coalmen, farm labourers and their families. Mindful of our climate and the long working hours many people endured, meals were simple and hearty, though not lacking in variety or flavour.
As for my favourites? It’s impossible to say. Instead, I offer you a selection of sweets and savouries I enjoyed as a child, together with some Welsh culinary heroes. I have included links generously shared by contributors for each recipe, but don’t stop there. Many provide details on several other dishes and snippets about our gastronomic history, so they’re worth exploring.
Bara Brith
Mentioned in chapter 12, this Welsh staple sticks to your tummy, leaving a comfy feeling of fullness. It’s Bara Brith, and here is a version contributed by The Daring Gourmet.
Welsh Rarebit
Contrary to misguided belief, there are no bunnies in this versatile savoury snack. It was a regular addition to high teas and our dining table after school. It’s simple and seriously yummy.
Try the Welsh Rarebit recipe offered by Visit Wales.
Image: Crown copyright © VisitWales.com
Laverbread
One of the components of the Welsh Rarebit dish I share is called Laverbread. And, no, it has nothing to do with bread. Here’s a recipe for this tangy seaside delicacy from Welsh Food & Drink. And as a tribute to this very Welsh foodstuff, the Pembrokeshire Beach Company has registered a National Laverbread Day.
Glamorgan Sausages
Like all countries, different Welsh regions have prized gastronomic specialities. If you love sausages, why not try the Glamorgan variety? As you’ll see, they’re a hit with vegetarians.
The team at Great British Chefs share a recipe from the chef, writer and MasterChef presenter John Torode.
Roast Leg of Welsh Lamb
In chapter three, I mention Ma’s ‘legendary roasts’, and they were just that. As you might
expect, lamb joints often starred at our table. There’s something inexplicably special about this Welsh-produced meat. Is it due to being reared in rain-cleansed fresh air or the succulent grass that contributes to their unique flavour? It’s hard to say. The flocks raised on the Gower and Harlech salt marshes certainly receive rave reviews. Here is a recipe to try for Roast Leg of Welsh Lamb from Dairy Diary.
Cawl
Cawl, the Welsh word for soup or broth, is another sustaining family regular. In North Wales, we call it Lobscaws. Here’s a recipe to try from chef Ceri Jones. Ma always added pearl barley to hers, which I had difficulty with as a child. That stuff can be slippery to fish out of the bowl.
Welsh Cakes
Ma let Di and I loose in the kitchen, creating this flour-based favourite. I can’t admit to our efforts being ever so successful, but correctly cooked, it’s hard to beat a Welsh Cake. Try this version from chef Ceri Jones.
BBQ Mackerel with Charred Lemon
In chapter four, I recount a tale about one of our many fishing trips on the Menai Strait. Our regular catch was mackerel, and I know Ma would love this delicious-looking BBQ Mackerel with quick pickled cucumbers and charred lemon salad recipe from Halen Môn. Take note. You’ll need to come to Wales if you want the best quality fish!
Anglesey Eggs
I first introduce you to Anglesey in chapter three, the island that plays a central part in my story. It boasts many taste bud-tantalising dishes, Anglesey Eggs being one. Here is chef and food writer Elaine Lemm’s version.
Braised Welsh Beef Oxtail
In chapter four, I describe the butcher’s shop we frequented in the village. As a child, the
sawdust-covered floor seemed weird, and those humungous carcasses hanging off hooks gave me the creeps. Stranger still was Ma’s buying habits, including the bag of bones she regularly purchased. Mind you, the meal she produced later was sensational. Here’s a recipe for Welsh Oxtail Stew – Ma always added tomatoes to hers.
Recipe credit: Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales
Welsh Leek Soup
No introduction to Welsh cuisine would be complete without a mention of leeks. Actually, you’ll find they have already sneaked into a couple of the dishes above. Before I offer a recipe, let me share the significance of this venerable legume. Wales being Wales, as you’ll find, its history is rooted in myths.
Please note: The button below goes to the M&S link, the recipe’s originator. The image is credited to Sylvie at Roaming Taste, who shares the recipe.
Caws Cenarth
If there is a foodstuff almost universally loved, it is cheese, and it’s no different in Wales.
One of our famed cheeses is the classic Caerffili, and the one produced by the renowned Caws Cenarth team is extra special. Feast your eyes on their complete range; it’s mouth watering!
Merthyr Pie
This meaty dish is named after Merthyr Tydfil, a South Wales town steeped in the iron and steel industry. Called Merthyr Pie, this version is from the acclaimed Welsh chef Stephen Terry.
Recipe featured by: delicious. magazine
Chef: Stephen Terry (Chef owner of The Hardwick, Abergavenny)
Photo: Charlie Richards
Welsh Leek & Caerphilly Cheese Quiche
If you love cheese, you’re in for a treat. This recipe from Village Dairy pays homage to two Welsh favourites. It’s easy to make and delicious. Go on, give it a try!
Welsh Oggie
If you thought it was the Cornish who cornered the market on the pasty, think again. Here’s a foodstuff that kept colliers going while they were working down the mines. It’s called Welsh Oggie, and Elaine Lemm, chef and food writer, shares her ‘Giant’ version.
Lobster Roll with Welsh Seaweed Black Butter
Living so close to the sea meant being occasionally treated to unbelievably sweet locally-sourced lobster. Ma prepared it several different ways, but never in a roll. This recipe for Lobster Roll with Welsh Seaweed Black Butter from the team at Pembrokeshire Beach Food makes my mouth water.
Welsh salt marsh-reared lamb
I mentioned the extraordinary flavours of Welsh salt marsh-reared lamb. Gower is one of the areas in Wales where this is done. As you’ll see from this YouTube video, local farmers take enormous pride in rearing the best quality animals.
Pwdin Eva (Welsh Apple Dessert)
Of the many desserts Ma produced, Pwdin Eva (Eve’s pudding) was a hot favourite.
This recipe by Vickie Parks brings back moreishly fond memories.
Baked Salmon with Welshman's Caviar
As a salmon lover, this deceptively simple recipe from the Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company team is elevated to a whole new level with the tangy addition of Welshman’s caviar.
Beef and Oyster Pie with laverbread, Guinness and Môr Ketchup gravy
I love the sound of this sustaining pie from the Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company, though I’m seriously tempted to use the suggested alternative, Trawlers Dread, instead of Guinness. The addition of Môr ketchup and Captain Cats Môr seasoning make this a thoroughly intriguing dish.
Welsh recipes kindly donated by readers
Lindy’s Welsh Chicken and Leek Hotpot (aka Mrs Hughes)
There’s a story behind the ‘aka’. Thanks so much to Lindy for contributing this culinary winner.
She tells me her scrummy-sounding dish is a variation of one made by a favourite school dinner lady, Mrs Hughes. I can’t wait to try it.
Welsh Rarebit Lasagne Recipe
I’m very grateful to Kate for sending in this heavenly dish. Any recipe that includes two types of cheese always appeals to me, and Kate’s versatile fusion dish is a hit.
NB. Make sure you read her advice at the end, it has all sorts of interesting suggestions.
Rebecca’s Welsh Cakes with a Subtle Scottish Twist
I love the idea of a Celtic combination.
This recipe for Welsh Cakes, kindly shared by Rebecca in Scotland, includes unsalted Scottish butter. Her family loves this version, and since it has the added seal of approval from a Welsh friend who is a former chef, I know they’re going to be delicious! And you have to love that cute little one featured in her photo. As Rebecca says, ‘There’s always a wee bit of dough left over. Not a bit of it gets wasted!’
Welsh Broccoli and Watercress Soup
Many thanks to Viv Burroughs for sharing her Welsh version of classic broccoli and watercress soup. Her addition of the humble leek together with blue cheese for that extra zing is inspired.
