Erin Go Bragh Menu

With St. Paddy's Day around the corner, it is time to get together my menu for the day's feast.  Every year we look forward to some corned beef and cabbage.  I honestly don't eat very much beef, but I am all about it on St. Patrick's Day.  The recipe that I used for my base is the New England Boiled Dinner recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  I have used the same recipe for 12 years!  Here is the recipe with my modifications through the years:


St. Paddy's Day Corned Beef

Ingredients:

1 2-2.5 lb corned beef brisket (I normally get the flat cut because it has less fat.)
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp tarragon
3 bay leaves
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large onion, halved
1 small cabbage, cut into 6 wedges
(The original recipe also calls for 2 medium parsnips or 1 medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into chunks.  I leave this out.  You may choose to add them in.)
Directions:

Place meat into a 4-6 quart.  Add enough water to cover the brisket.  Add pepper, bay leaves, thyme, tarragon, and onion.  Bring to boiling.  Simmer while covered for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender.  Add potatoes, carrots, and parsnips or rutabaga.  Return to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer again for 10 minutes.  Add the cabbage and cook about 15-20 minutes or until the cabbage is tender and potatoes are done.  Discard the bay leaves.  Remove the meat and slice to preferred thickness.  Put meat and vegetables on platter to serve.  (Trust me, do not serve directly from pot. I did this one year and ended up dropping something in the pot.  Needless to say, I ended up splashing myself with the hot juice.  Not good!)

If you would like, you can add salt, pepper, mustard, and horseradish according to your taste.


***I did vary this recipe in regards to spices.  I usually add tarragon and thyme to my corned beef.  The recipe states that you can add the packet of spices that come with the corned beef.  I do not like the traditional spices, so I add my own.  Sometimes, I add savory if I have it available.

Because the corned beef dish is so filling, we just make a dessert to go with it.  We always make Irish Lemon Sponge Pudding.  The recipe I use is from Gourmet magazine.  The pudding is delicious!  We love to eat it warm!  Here is the recipe:


Irish Lemon Sponge Pudding

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp. grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
pinch cream of tartar

sifted confectioner's sugar

Using an electric mixer, cream butter together with sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, the lemon juice, and the flour, the lemon rind, and the salt. Combine mixture well. Add milk in a stream, beating, and combine well. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar until they hold stiff peaks. Stir one fourth of the whites into the lemon mixture. Fold in remainder of whites gently, and transfer the mixture to a buttered 1 1/2-quart glass souffle dish. Set the dish in a deep pan, adding enough boiling water to pan to reach halfway up the sides of the souffle dish. Bake dessert in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 50 minutes, or until it is puffed and the top golden. Sift confectioners' sugar over top and serve dessert warm or chilled. (The sponge will separate, forming a custard sauce on the bottom.)Spoon the top onto dessert plates, and spoon sauce over each serving.