Penclawdd Cockle Broth
A light, fragrant Welsh coastal broth brimming with tender Penclawdd cockles, softened leeks, and tender diced potatoes in savoury liquor.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 280 kcal
Equipment
- •large lidded saucepan
- •fine-mesh sieve
- •chopping board
- •chef knife
- •measuring jug
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- fat
- 11 g
- carbs
- 24 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 21 g
- calories
- 280 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Scrub cockles thoroughly in cold water and discard any with cracked shells or those that stay open when tapped.
- 2
Place cockles and water into a large saucepan over high heat on the hob, then cover with a tight lid.
- 3
Steam cockles for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until all shells pop open fully.
- 4
Strain cockles through a fine-mesh sieve lined with kitchen paper into a jug, reserving the clear cockle liquor.
- 5
Pick cockle meat from open shells and set aside, discarding shells and any cockles that failed to open.
- 6
Melt butter in a clean saucepan over medium heat, add diced bacon, and fry for 3 minutes until lightly browned.
- 7
Add sliced leeks and fry gently for 5 minutes until soft, sweet, and translucent without browning.
- 8
Pour in the reserved cockle liquor, fish stock, diced potatoes, and the bay leaf.
- 9
Bring the broth to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
- 10
Stir in reserved cockle meat, chopped parsley, and black pepper, simmering gently for 2 minutes just to warm through.
- 11
Remove the bay leaf and ladle the hot broth into warmed shallow bowls to serve immediately.
Chef's tips
Always strain the cockle steaming liquid through a fine sieve lined with kitchen paper to remove any trapped estuary sand. Add the cockles right at the end of cooking so they remain tender and do not turn rubbery. Taste before adding extra salt, as cockle liquor and bacon naturally provide plenty of seasoning.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh cockles in shell → 200 g drained jarred or cooked cockles with 250 ml clam juice or fish stock
- salted Welsh butter → 1 tbsp olive oil or dairy-free butter alternative
- streaky bacon → omit entirely for a cleaner, purely seafood-driven broth
Storage
Store leftover broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat on the hob until steaming hot, taking care not to boil.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the cockle meat for too long, which makes it tough and chewy.
- •Skipping the fine straining of the cockle liquor, leaving gritty sand in the broth.
- •Adding table salt before tasting the naturally salty cockle broth.
Serving suggestions
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