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Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day, which means spring is just around the corner (March 20, to be exact). ‘Tis the season of rebirth, with trees soon to bloom and flowers popping up after a long winter’s nap.
The problem is spring can bring iffy weather. There can be a 70-degree day, then snow flurries the following morning. The solution to early spring weather is to prepare simple meals with seasonal ingredients.
Lamb, asparagus, dandelion greens, fava beans and peas immediately spring – no pun intended – to mind when Easter and Passover are upon us. With the miracle of airfreight, we can enjoy lamb from New Zealand and asparagus grown in Mexico all year long. Delicious lamb recipes for Easter and Passover, both next month, will be coming in the next few weeks.
But, around St. Patrick’s Day, I always prepare corned beef and cabbage. It is one of the easiest dinners to make. It practically cooks by itself, which is easy on the cook. The home chef has time to relax and sip a beer while the beef simmers. It is also a fine recipe for a casual dinner party on or around March 17. Edward and I always invite some friends over to enjoy this once-a-year specialty.
To create this dish, buy a big corned beef brisket, follow the cooking directions on the package, cut a head of cabbage into wedges and put a pot of water on to boil for the potatoes. Keep in mind corned beef shrinks after spending three hours in a pot, so buy accordingly.
I always serve corned beef and cabbage with an assortment of mustards and horseradish. Mustard sweetened with honey, fiery hot Creole mustard and rough Dijon are among our favorites.
Yukon Gold Potatoes have become popular in the past few years and I recently spotted a new variety. They are red-skinned and small – perfect for boiling. I sautéed them with olive oil and shallots last week and everyone pronounced them delicious.
I’ve spotted green cookies, green bagels and green beer in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. I think I will stick with shortbread cookies, but also serve parfaits topped with green crème de menthe. If anyone is feeling an early spring chill, a cup of Irish coffee is the perfect remedy.
Corned Beef with Cabbage and Boiled Red Yukon Gold Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 (6- to 8-pound) corned beef
1 large head of cabbage
Butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
16 red-skin Yukon Gold Potatoes
Caraway seeds
Directions:
Wash the corned beef in cold water. Place in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Place the pot lid askew, lower to a rolling simmer and cook for at least three hours or until the corned beef is very tender when pierced with a fork. It is important to check the corned beef as it may require another hour or so of cooking time.
Shred or cut the cabbage into four wedges. Place in a large glass dish and sprinkle with cold water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for about five to eight minutes. Drain and place it in a warm serving bowl. Top with butter and toss. Add salt and pepper, if desired.
Wash the potatoes and place in a pot. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Drain. Place in a serving bowl. Top with butter and a sprinkling of the caraway seeds. Toss well.
Drain the corned beef. Allow to stand on a cutting board for about five minutes. Slice against the grain and place the slices on a warm serving platter.
Serve with assorted mustards and horseradish.
Serves four to six.
Note from Phyllis: We enjoy beer, particularly Guinness, with corned beef and cabbage.
Dandelion Greens Salad
Ingredients:
2 bunches of dandelion greens, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
1 (2-ounce) can anchovies
2 fat cloves of garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Place the dandelion greens in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand for about two hours. This allows the greens to lose some of their natural bitterness. Drain and dry well with paper towels or wrap in a clean kitchen towel.
Place the oil, anchovies, garlic and lemon juice in a saucepan. Gently heat until the anchovies begin to fall apart. Stir the sauce occasionally.
Place the dandelion greens in a serving bowl. Pour the warm sauce over the greens and serve.
Serves four to six.
Crème de Menthe Parfaits
Ingredients:
6 chilled parfait glasses or large red wine balloon glasses
Green crème de menthe
Top-quality vanilla ice cream, such as Bassett’s or Ben and Jerry’s
Whipped cream
Directions:
Place a little crème de menthe in the bottom of each glass. Add a scoop of ice cream and a bit more crème de menthe. Repeat.
Top with whipped cream.
Serves six.
Irish Coffee
Ingredients:
Strong black coffee
Irish whiskey, such as Old Bushmill’s
Whipped cream
Directions:
Pour the coffee into a tall glass mug until filled about three-quarters of the way. Add a shot of the whiskey.
Top with whipped cream.
Serve.
Note from Phyllis: If you have tall glass mugs, now is the time to bring them out. Some people like to add sugar to Irish coffee or wet the rim of each mug, dipping it into granulated sugar.
