Celebrate St David's Day with Authentic Welsh Lamb Recipes
St David's Day Welsh Lamb Recipes for a Festive Feast

Celebrate St David's Day with Authentic Welsh Lamb Recipes

St David's Day, observed on March 1, offers a wonderful opportunity for families and friends to gather and celebrate Welsh culture, traditions, and national pride. This special day is deeply rooted in heritage, emphasizing an appreciation for local produce and culinary excellence. A perfect way to honor the occasion is by preparing a feast that highlights simple, high-quality ingredients, showcasing the best of Welsh cuisine.

Easy and Delicious Welsh Lamb Recipes

The team at Eat Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef has shared three easy and delicious recipes to help you create a memorable St David's Day meal. These dishes include rack of lamb with laverbread herb sauce, lamb rarebit hotpot, and traditional lamb cawl. For optimal flavor, they recommend using PGI Welsh lamb, which is renowned for its exceptional taste and succulent texture. This premium meat comes from sheep born and reared in Wales, grazing on natural pastures of grass and heather, though other lamb varieties can also be used.

Welsh Lamb with Laverbread Herb Sauce

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 racks of lamb, cut in half (3 to 4 bones per person)
  • 1 large handful fresh mint
  • 1 large handful fresh parsley
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 dessert spoon of small capers
  • 6 cornichons
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 lemons (zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1 lemon)
  • 1 dessert spoon laverbread
  • 4 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 15g butter

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
  2. Score the fat on the lamb and season well. Sear the lamb in a hot non-stick pan until golden and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the lamb from the oven and allow to rest for five minutes.
  3. Finely chop the mint, parsley, garlic, and cornichons and place in a bowl. Add the olive oil, zest of one lemon, the lemon juice, and laverbread and stir. Season to taste.
  4. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the butter and leave it to melt before adding the breadcrumbs. Toss the breadcrumbs in the butter and the oil. Cook over a medium heat until crisp and golden. Remove from the heat and add the remaining zest (one lemon).
  5. Divide the cutlets and serve with the dipping sauce and lemon breadcrumbs.

Subtle twist: Enhance the sauce with laverbread, a Welsh delicacy made from seaweed.

Welsh Lamb Rarebit Hotpot

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 400g leftover, cold lamb (pulled shoulder or roast)
  • 2 medium leeks, sliced
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 400ml stock (vegetable or lamb)
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 6 to 8 medium potatoes, cooked and thickly sliced
  • 150g Welsh cheddar cheese
  • 4 tbsp Welsh ale
  • 1 tsp (heaped) wholegrain mustard

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Lightly fry the leek and onion until colored.
  2. Add the lamb and stock. Heat through until piping hot. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish.
  3. Overlap the sliced potatoes around the edge of the dish.
  4. Combine the cheese, mustard, and ale to a thick paste.
  5. Spread the paste over the potatoes. Place under a hot grill for 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Comfort food: Take your hotpot to another level with a cheesy rarebit topping.

Traditional Welsh Lamb Cawl

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 180 minutes
Serves: 5 or more

Ingredients:

  • 650g lamb shoulder or neck, diced
  • Sprigs of fresh thyme
  • Seasoning
  • 2l vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 whole leeks, washed, trimmed, and sliced
  • 4 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • ½ swede or 2 parsnips, peeled
  • 4 large potatoes or 12 small potatoes, scrubbed and diced

Method:

  1. In a large saucepan, fry the lamb until brown.
  2. Add the onion and leeks, and cook for two minutes, until soft. Add the remaining ingredients.
  3. Simmer on a low heat with the lid on, until the lamb is tender, which takes approximately two hours 30 minutes to three hours.
  4. Best served with crusty bread and mature Welsh cheddar cheese.

Versatile dish: Welsh cawl can be made with lamb or beef and any vegetables available.

Additional Cooking Inspiration

If you're still hungry for more culinary ideas, consider exploring other recipes such as The Batch Lady's 'super easy' one-pot herby chicken, leek, and mushroom casserole, a Sunday roast rib of beef with perfect gravy made from a 'secret' ingredient, or Duncan's indulgent bread and butter pudding for a comforting dessert.