Put the meat into the saucepan, cover with cold water, add salt and pepper, bring slowly to the boil and skin carefully. (This can be done the night before and the fat allowed to set on the surface. This makes it easier to skim off. ) Then add the carrots (cut in half), the swede (sliced) and the white of the leeks, and simmer gently for 2 - 2 1/2 hours. Add the potatoes (cut in four) and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes. When the potatoes are almost cooked, thicken with flour and a little water. Lastly, add the green of the leeks and parsley (chopped) and simmer for further 10 minutes and serve in basins while hot. Cawl was the dish most commonly served for dinner on the farm during the winter months in the counties of South and West Wales. The broth itself would be served in basins or bowls, with bread, and the meat and vegetables served as a second course.
