Food and drink

A feast for a saint - St Davids day recipes

By Sally Bryant
February 26, 2009

Daffodils, the dragon, Cym Rhonda, dare we say rugby – the essence of Wales and that list isn’t complete without leeks and lamb.

It’s St David’s Day on Sunday and, even if you don’t lift a glass to the patron saint, you might like to toast these staples of the foodie’s diet.

Many a meat-lover will say lamb is their favourite – it is so sweet, tender and full of flavour and Welsh lamb is among the best.

It has to be said, at the risk of annoying every Welshman reading this, part of the reason must be the amount of rain that seems to fall persistently on that part of the country.

Not so great for sun-worshippers, but it does mean plenty of lush grass for the sheep. And, of course, if you do treat yourself to Welsh lamb you will be supporting the British farmer and keeping the food miles down.

The leek may be the onion’s weaker cousin but the kitchen would be a sadder place without it. Its subtle flavour, so much more sophisticated than the onion or explosive garlic, is essential in soups or casseroles.

It is heavenly with potato and cheese – and of course with lamb.

It was a great piece of forward planning by somebody to put such an abundance of both in one corner of our little island, so it would be churlish not to make the most of such a splendid combination.

Stick a daffodil behind your ear, dip into the recipes below and make this St David’s Day one to remember.

Cawl

This hearty, traditional dish is perfect for St David’s Day

Serves 4

500g Welsh Lamb neck fillet
1 tbsp sunflower oil
500g potatoes, cut into large chunks
500g leeks, washed and thickly sliced
400g parsnips, cut into large chunks
500g carrots, cut into large chunks
1.5 litres of lamb stock
Large handful of curly parsley, chopped
Freshly milled sea salt and black pepper

Cut the neck fillet into large chunks, season and using the oil, brown the meat in a hot frying pan.

Transfer the browned meat to a large saucepan, pour in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes, skimming off any impurities.

Add the prepared vegetables and cook for another 20 minutes.

Just before serving stir in the fresh parsley and check the seasoning.

Serve steaming hot in large bowls with crusty bread.

Mwynhewch! Enjoy!

Welsh leek and goat’s cheese rarebit

Choose a mild, creamy cheese without a crust so it will easily melt into the sauce. Or use Y Fenni cheese, which contains mustard seed and ale.

Ciabatta loaf
Medium leeks, trimmed, washed and shredded
50g butter
25g plain flour
5ml tsp mustard powder
150ml milk
110g creamy Welsh goat’s cheese
Sea salt and ground black pepper

Cut Ciabatta into thick slices and place in a hot oven for 5-8 minutes until crisp and lightly brown. Rest on a cooling rack to keep crisp.

Melt the butter in a medium-size pan and sweat the leeks for 2-3 minutes until soft, but not brown.

Stir in the flour and mustard powder. Gradually add the milk and bring to simmering point to make a thick sauce. Stir in the goats’ cheese until melted. Season.

Generously spoon rarebit on to the toasted Ciabatta. Brown under the grill until bubbling and serve immediately.

Sausage and leek casserole with chive mash

Serves 4

3tbsp olive oil
8 pork sausages
1 Spanish onion sliced
200g sliced leeks
4 cloves garlic sliced
2 sticks celery sliced
Small bunch of sage leaves, picked
200ml white wine
400ml passata
400ml chicken
2 bay leaves
Salt and cracked black pepper
Small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

For the mash…

800g potatoes peeled and cut into four
100g butter
300ml full fat milk
Salt and cracked white pepper
1 bunch of chives finely chopped
Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF.

Fry the sausages in a casserole dish until golden brown and remove with a slotted spoon. You may need to do this in two batches.

Add the onions, leeks, garlic, celery and sage and cook until the mix starts to brown.

Add the wine, stock, passata and bay leaves then season.

Put the sausages back in, replace the lid and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place potatoes in a medium-sized pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently until cooked – about 20 minutes

Drain and mash and add the butter and milk. Stir over a low heat until the butter has melted and the mash is piping hot. Season and add the chives. Set aside.

Remove the casserole from the oven, stir in chopped parsley and serve with the mash.

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