Corned
Beef With Vegetables and Steamed
Cabbage. This is an
absolutely gorgeous dish. The
beautiful pink corned beef is simmered in
a delicious beef stock made with fresh
beef marrow bones and garden fresh
vegetables. The corned beef is
simmered over a slow cooking flame for
several hours until pierced, it is tender
and juicy. It is sliced and displayed
beautifully on a large platter
surrounded by all the sweet smelling
vegetables and marrow bones. The
bone marrow is slightly salted and very
tasty.
I remember Saint Patrick's Day in New
York City. The streets became
crowded. People were congregating
outside every local pub and glasses
clattering filled with the bubbly green
Irish brew. Laughing and dancing
all around the bar and an occasional
burst of laughter and singing.
In sync the patrons did sing songs of old
Ireland of which they all new.
There skin pasty and white some freckled
some not, but always that bright ruddy
patches where cheek bones should
be. It occurred to me that there
must be a stick of lipstick or rouge to
make them that bright. What a time
to be had what a time for a fight!
The price would be paid the next morning
when bells and alarms sound the call of
awake. I'm glad that I drank only
one of those beers or I too would be
down in the morn. Ingredients:
Fresh
Corned Beef--3 pounds. Beef Marrow
Bones-6 Whole Onion-1 large.
Pickling
Spices-1/3 cup. Bay (Laurel) Leaves-2.
Celery
Leaves-1/2 cup. Thyme-1/2 teaspoon.
Fresh
Parsley-1/2
cup, leaves.
Salt-3/4 teaspoon. Freshly Ground Black
Pepper-1/2 teaspoon. Red Potatoes-3
large, peeled and quartered. Carrots-4 large,
peeled and quartered. Onions-5 large
quartered. Turnips-2 peeled and
quartered.
Cabbage-1 dark leaved and heavy,
quartered. Instructions:
Soak the Corned Beef in a large pot
filled with water for 3 hours or
overnight. Rinse and drain.
Place the Corned Beef in a large
kettle with the beef marrow bones.
Cover the meat and bones with water
enough to cover, plus three inches.
Bring the water to a rolling boil and
then bring it to a simmer. Add in
the whole onion, pickling spices, bay
leaves, celery leaves, thyme, parsley
leaves, salt and black pepper.
Partially cover the pot and simmer for at
least 3 hours. You may have to add
more water in to the pot occasionally if
needed.
Add the potatoes, carrots, onions and
turnips to the kettle and continue
cooking for another 45 minutes.
Meanwhile clean, core and quarter the
head of cabbage. Steam it in a
separate pot until softened to you
liking. Remove the corned beef from
the pot and place it on a cutting
board. Allow to sit for 5 minutes
before slicing. Slices should be
approximately 1/4 inch thick or
thicker. Using a slotted spoon
remove all the vegetables from the kettle
and spoon them around the edges of the
large platter. Place the meat
slices in the center of all these
beautiful vegetables. Spoon some of
the reduced broth over the meat. If
you like serve it with some homemade
Horseradish cream sauce. Place the
steamed cabbage wedges in a large
bowl. This is a delicious
traditional Irish meal. I can never
get a large enough portion of it.