AS NATURE INTENDED

Nourished by the land and with flavour at the forefront, Wales’ cuisine shines a spotlight on national heritage, local ingredients and sustainable production

Think Wales, think nature. Besides breathtaking scenery, ancient history and Celtic traditions, this small country is fast becoming renowned for a food culture driven by the land. And the passion pays back when it comes to flavour, as fertile pastures, mountains, orchards, forests and rivers, surrounded by a rich coastline, nurture produce celebrated for its excellence, provenance and sustainability. Whether you’re exploring the scenic Pembrokeshire coast, visiting Cardiff’s vibrant markets or the idyllic towns of Snowdonia, leave it to the local establishments to take you on a culinary tour of Wales.

On Anglesey’s Menai Strait, maritime-themed Dylan’s serves pizzas topped with fresh seafood, and cheeseboards celebrating the produce of North Wales in their adjacent store; White Castle Vineyard’s vintages prove that wines from Monmouthshire can compete with the world’s best; Llanllyr Source is en route to becoming the first carbonnegative water company; Puffin Produce’s investments in zero-waste practices have been revolutionary for vegetable supply chains; while Rhug Estate’s focus on animal welfare has helped earn them international recognition for responsible farming and superlative flavour. It’s a food and drink industry like no other, and it holds a plethora of world-leading credentials and awards to show for it.

So be it Menai mussels and oysters, PGI Welsh Lamb or Pembrokeshire potatoes, expect nothing short of top-quality ingredients sourced with environmental and socially responsible practices at their core – that’s the Welsh way. The chowder recipe, right, will let you dive right in.

Head to businesswales.gov.wales/foodanddrink to follow the country’s sustainable journey and celebrate a taste of Wales.

Welsh seafood chowder with spelt and parsley crispbreads

SERVES 4 3tbsp rapeseed oil, such as Blodyn Aur 50g salted butter 1 large onion, finely chopped 125g trimmed leek, halved lengthways and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely grated 250ml double cream 2tbsp Welsh Lady Scotch Bonnet Chilli Jam (or any other chilli jam) 1tsp Halen Môn Anglesey Sea Salt ½tsp freshly ground black pepper 300ml traditional Welsh cider 1-2 chunky sea bass fillets, skinned and each cut into 4 100ml shellfish or fish stock 750g cockles, washed 750g Conwy mussels, washed and debearded 50g baby spinach leaves 10g chopped parsley leaves For the crispbreads ¾tsp Halen Môn Anglesey Sea Salt 200g spelt flour 2 small eggs, beaten 20-24 flat-leaf parsley leaves, washed and dried

To make the crispbreads, sift the salt and flour and put in a processor. Add the egg, a little at a time, to make a pliable dough. Form a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 170C/ 150C F/Gas 3. Cut the dough into 4 and roll each quarter out by hand or on a pasta roller, one by one, until thin and around 90cm x 9cm. Cut a strip in half lengthways, place 5 or 6 parsley leaves at intervals on one of the halves, then place the other half on top to sandwich the leaves.

Roll again to trap the leaves and make a strip around 50cm long. Cut into 3 or 4 pieces and transfer to a large baking sheet. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough, then bake until crisp and just golden.

To make the chowder, put the oil and butter in a medium pan, add the onion and leek and soften over a low heat for around 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cream and cook for around 4 minutes until beginning to reduce and thicken. Add the chilli jam, seasoning and 150ml of the cider and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, then add the sea bass and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon and reserve the creamy liquid.

Put 75ml of the remaining cider and 50ml stock into a large pan and bring to a boil over a medium heat. Add the cockles, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until they have just opened.

Tip the contents of the pan into a sieve set over a bowl to catch the juices. Discard any unopened cockles and put the rest in a clean bowl.

Add the remaining cider and stock to the pan and bring to the boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until just opened. Tip into a sieve to catch the juices. Discarding any that are unopened, add the mussels to the cockles. Pour the juices from the cockles and mussels back into the pan, leaving any sediment behind. Simmer for a few minutes to reduce a little, then add the creamy liquid, the spinach and parsley. Fold the fish and shellfish into the pan to warm through. Serve the chowder with the crispbreads.