St.Patrick's

 If there weren't a St. Patrick's Day, I'd invent a holiday for making corned beef brisket from scratch.  Maybe my birthday... well no, that's July.  Not a good time for boiling a big chunk of meat for hours.  Maybe that Seinfeld holiday.. Festivus.  I told Charlie that I'd make it even if I lived alone .

I did not serve a everything-boiled-in-one-pot this year. The soda bread recipe said this one is more likely to resemble the way it would look and taste in a typical Irish home. It contains some whole wheat flour and rolled oats.

I bought a turnip for the colcannon a few days ago but could not find it today. I made a quick trip to the closest store to grab one and they did not have any. Instead I got a rutabaga.  It was from Canada and cost $4.53. A pretty hefty price for one Canadian rutabaga.  Trump tariff?

This is the first time I have made colcannon.  Charlie liked it and the mixed cabbage cooked in butter instead of boiled. The colcannon recipe said to use peeled red potatoes but the red potatoes available were the size of river rock so I boiled and mashed them with skins on.

Soda Bread said to be more like original in appearance and taste as served in an Irish home.

1 1/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour + a little more for sprinkling

1 C. whole wheat flour

1/2 C/ old fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/4C. (4 T. ) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/3 C. buttermilk or plain yogurt, not Greek style

1 T, honey

Preheat oven to 425º.Lightly sprinkle flour over a baking sheet or cast iron skillet

Whisk together dry ingredients.  Add butter, toss to coat and work into a coarse meal.

In a separate bowl, stir together buttermilk and hone, then add to dough until evenly moistened but still lumpy.

Using floured hands, form the dough into a ball and pan out into a 7-inch round on the floured baking sheet or cast iron skillet. Cut a shallow X in the top of the loaf with sharp knife.

Bake until golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, 30 to 4 minutes.  Cool slightly on a rack before slicing. Bake to 205-0210º

Colcannon

2 T. salt + to taste

2 - 2 1/4 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & cut into 2-inch chunks.

1 med. turnip, peeed and cut into 2inch chunks

1 leek, white part only, diced

4 T butter

1/3 C. heavy cream, whole milk or a mixture

Freshly ground black pepper.

1/4 C. chopped parsley

Bring 1 gallon water + 2 T. salt to high boil: add potatoes, turnip & leeks and boil until knife penetrates easily.  In saucepan, heat butter & cream until it starts to steam..

Drain potatoes and return to pot, mash potatoes until they fall apart then lightly mash in the cream until smooth.

S & P to taste and stir in the parsley

Simply Sautéed Mixed cabbage

2 T. butter

1 shallot, minced

4 C. shredded red and green cabbage and carrots

S&P to taste

1-2 T fresh lemon juice, to taste

Melt butter, sauté shallot about 1 min. (til tender).  Add veggies, toss and cover. Cook tender, about 1 min.  season S&P & lemon juice to taste

Homemade Corned Beef 

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8.

• FOR THE BRINE

• 2 quarts water

• 1 cup coarse salt

• 1 tablespoon pink curing salt

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed

• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed

• 1 cinnamon stick, crushed

• 4 dried bay leaves, crushed

• 8 whole cloves

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the brine: Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salts, sugar, and spices; remove from heat, and stir until salts and sugar dissolve. Let cool.

2. Make the corned beef: Place brisket in a nonreactive container just large enough to hold it. Pour cooled brine over meat. Place 2 small plates on top to keep meat submerged; cover, and refrigerate for 2 weeks.

3. Rinse brisket; discard brine. Place in a large pot. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.