Luke Selby shares seafood cawl and Black Bomber rarebit from north Wales

Luke Selby, chef/partner of Palé Hall in Llandderfel, Gwynedd, presents two recipes for Welsh winter warmers: a seafood cawl and a Black Bomber rarebit, both rooted in local tradition and his childhood fishing in Wales. The Cawl of the Sea is described as a lighter, coastal take on the Welsh classic, using undyed smoked haddock, leeks, garlic, celery, pearl barley, dry cider, fish or vegetable stock, double cream, wholegrain mustard and dill.

Selby’s method is to sauté the vegetables in butter, toast the barley, reduce the cider, add stock and simmer for 30–35 minutes, then poach the haddock on top for six to eight minutes, flake it and fold through cream, mustard and dill. The recipe notes prep 15 minutes, cook 1 hour 10 minutes, and serves four; dill oil and lemon wedges are suggested to finish.

The Black Bomber rarebit is built on an onion marmalade and a melted-cheese ale sauce. Onions are cooked slowly for 25–30 minutes, then treated with brown sugar and cider vinegar to make the marmalade. The rarebit sauce combines Worcestershire sauce, English mustard, dark ale (Selby uses Magic Dragon’s Border bitter) and grated Snowdonia Black Bomber cheddar, finished with an egg yolk and spread on toasted strong ale bread before grilling for two to three minutes.

Key Topics

Culture, Luke Selby, Palé Hall, Llandderfel, Gwynedd, Snowdonia Black Bomber