6 Nations Masterchef.

"International Rugby doesn't get tougher than this!"

Cawl is a simple dish. It is a lamb broth with leeks and other seasonal vegetables. It is (was perhaps) a staple part of the diet in Welsh rugby's heartland. 

Fundamentally it's cheap. Scrag end of neck is the favoured cut. It is simmered to make a stock, which the veg is then boiled in and there you have it. Serve with bread and cheese. 

A limited amount of ingredients, a very simple method, but no two family's Cawl is the same, and nobody makes it like your Mamgu. 

In North Wales they have Lobscows, a thicker variety. In France, Tuesday Soup. England has it's Hotpots, Scotland has its broth and Ireland its stew. Italy don't do culinary things by half of course. Their version has a plethora of boiled meats and is served as a family banquet. 

Warren Gatland is a gruff antipodean chef, no frills, basic. He has raided the kitchen gardens of the regions and has chosen the root veg and greens. His method is simple. He suits Wales because he's cooking Cawl, but bringing an outsider's perspective to it. The forward stock is well balanced but the use of big chunky backs and experimentation with different seasoning following the retirement of Shane Williams has seen 6 tries in two games in the 6 Nations, all scored by backs. Mamgu never made Cawl like that, but it works. MasterChef cooking isn't always about how much these ingredients cost, but rather what you do with them.

But what of Wales' six nations rivals?

Well Declan Kidney is a solid enough cook. His gastro-pub often hits the spot. Sometimes he has issues with his conservative choice of ingredients. The menu has been the same for years and was the same at the last place he worked. If you want something from off the menu, well, you'd better forget it. Cuisine moves on. Some of his regulars are becoming restless. Will he modify his menu in time to keep them on board?

The Italians of course have drafted in French chef Jaques Brunel to their ristorante. He'd run a successful cafe in Perpignan and been a sous chef at the Lieveremont. It seems that his menu suits their taste. He understands that the big flavours in the Italian pack. The Italian backs produce the odd flambé, or flash in the pan. In a desire to provide a spectacular finish, he took his Burton Soufflé out too early in the Olympic stadium and handed victory to England on a plate. 

Andy Robinson has no problems with the starters or the mains in his Highland hotel. The desserts though are a different question as he just can't seem to put the icing on the cake. Evans, Jones and the Lamonts are sweet finishers at club level but he can't balance their flavours on the international stage. He has a sous chef but Gregor can't get the most out of the, albeit limited, ingredients at his disposal. He could sack him, but who would come in his place?

It was considered heresy in some quarters that the French appoint a chef trained in England to their top restaurant. Mr St Andre however has French je ne sais quoi tempered by Anglo Saxon pragmatism. The peasant farmers of France are well subsidised and produce artisan ingredients of the finest quality of course. They have avoided the quotas seen in England. The previous Chef was utterly French and veered from the sublime to the rediculous. Towards the end he lost control of the kitchen but still produced the goods. Time will tell if St Andre's fusion food will be just too much for the French.

Meanwhile a short order cook has just been given a probationary period in a Little Chef on the A6. The soft southern types can keep their haute cuisine, Stuart Lancaster knows the Olympic Breakfast backwards. They can feed the toffs, he will feed the masses. But, like the French, many English fans want the most expensive ingredients. The problem for Lancaster is that the toffs will bring an expensive champagne hamper and ultimately will decide whether he proceeds to the next round.

Nice idea Glas, I just feel it needs a little more meat (pardon the pun). You could add the flavours and spice to the mix, you could add the fact that alhtough Italy gets the spice mix right in the forward pack it lacks depth on the palet.

You could talk a little more about the balances of flavours and ingredients.

You could also perhaps use the young players in each team as the freshest ingredients.


just a few ideas to give it more oomph.

Lemon can be the simile for scything backs as well.

Oh another thing, presentation of fine dining as a simle for entertaining back lines.

Oh another thing, presentation of fine dining as a simile for entertaining back lines.

Cheers Biltong, will get on to it.

I actually love this article, agree with biltong that it needs a bit more substance though. And also, unless I'm being a bit daft, I think you've left an example of England out at the start when you are talking about Welsh Cawl, Scottish Broth and Irish Stew etc?

Really good idea though

For England you may want to go with something like.

Like the French, the English love to prepare meals with the most expensive ingredients, which in most cases doesn't necessarily provide the best results.

MasterChef cooking isn't always about how mush these ingredients cost, but rather what you do with them.

Or something like that.

i disagree with you guys. i think it is a bit heavy. it needs to be trimmed and streamlined to make it a more accesable online read. shorter paras and include an intro para informing the reader what they are about to read.

eg. the 6 nations coaches are assemling ingredients for their recipy for success.

ignore my post at your leisure

but, i really enjoyed the article. it is very entertaining; quirky and fun. soup/cawl/broth is a wonderful analogy for our national teams.

Dogtooth, it is his choice, I just think it is a great article, and when the reader is going to read that, he will wish there was more to read.

It was different anyway. Good stuff Glas.

Wee challenge for you Glas (and anyone else who feels like chipping in),

Who wants to try and find some on-line pics of foods to represent the chefs mentioned (a Little Chef logo should be easy enough). Bonus points if you cook something yourself and take a snap

So for Ireland - a pic of a fancy gastro pub, or possibly a posh looking pie & chips
Wales - Cawl. Or go Kiwi-style with shepherds pie
Scotland - a ruined dessert (tricky)
italy - souffle or a flambe pan
France - something fusion

If we get some good ones it'd be good to include them in the article on the Journal

Cawl

Glas a du wrote:Cawl

Cheers Glas

Gastro pub steak and chips

Gregg Wallace has a Level 2 rugby union coaching certificate and used to play for London Welsh.

Glas a du wrote:Gregg Wallace has a Level 2 rugby union coaching certificate and used to play for London Welsh.

Glas a du wrote:Gastro pub steak and chips

Actually it's surf n turf.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfeyUGZt8nk

im sure ive posted this before