What would St. Patrick’s Day be without corned beef? According to what I’ve read, serving corned beef on March 17 is not really a special tradition from the Emerald Isle, although it has become a custom in America as a way to celebrate our Irish heritage, even if we only have a smidgen in our background.
When it’s time for us to make corned beef, most of us just boil it, along with chunks of cabbage and potatoes. If you’d like to add a new twist to this great old standby, you might try boiling it first, then baking it for the last half-hour.
When I make the dish, I use a 2 1/2- to 3-pound cut of corned beef, place it in a Dutch oven, sprinkle about a teaspoon of dried herb seasonings on it, cut up 3 medium-size Yukon potatoes and add what our daughter used to call “little cabbages” (Brussels sprouts) around the sides of the meat and fill it with water to just cover the meat. I boil it with the vegetables for about 45-60 minutes over medium heat.
When the vegetables are cooked, I put the corned beef in a baking dish with about 1 cup of the brine and then brush the meat with a mixture of 1/2 cup white corn syrup and two tablespoons mustard. Then, I cover the dish and meat with aluminum foil and bake it for another half-hour at 350 degrees.
When it is done, I slice it and put it on a platter surrounded with the potatoes and Brussels sprouts and serve it with this springtime Strawberry Salad. The combination makes a great St. Patrick’s Day meal!
STRAWBERRY SALAD
DRESSING:
1/2 cup strawberry jelly
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
SALAD:
4 cups Romaine lettuce, cut up (or 4 cups baby spinach)
2 cups cubed or shredded cooked smoked turkey or chicken
1 1/3 cups sliced or halved fresh strawberries
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, chilled and drained
2 thin slices red onion, separated into rings
1/4 cup croutons
In a small saucepan, combine jelly, vinegar and lemon peel. Cook over medium-high heat until jelly has melted, stirring frequently. Cool at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, arrange lettuce or spinach, turkey or chicken, strawberries, oranges and onions in medium-size salad bowl or four individual salad plates and top with dressing and croutons.
Brotherton offers website readers one stellar recipe a week in the “My Leader Yummy” feature.
Looking for a recipe you can’t find? Email me at kbrotherton42@gmail.com and I’ll see if I have it.
