hungarian goulash

the first signs of autumn

has meandered on to our ranch

cool evenings

transitioning to near frosty nights

just the kind of weather

that gets me back into the mood

for hearty stews

and

slow cooked meats

hungarian goulash

(printable recipe)

2 1/2 lbs stew meat (beef or venison)-- cut into cubes {at least 1"}

1/2 cup (about) all purpose flour for dredging

olive oil

1 large onion--cut in half then thinly sliced in have moons

10-12 crimini mushrooms--sliced

4 cloves of garlic--smashed and kept whole or near whole

1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp hot paprika

1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds

14 ounce diced tomatoes-with juice

1/2 cup water

2 cups beef broth

salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tsp of each)

1/3 cup sour cream

 1 Tbs lemon juice

 1/4 cup chopped parsley

heat oil in bottom of a dutch oven (just enough to coat the bottom).  dredge the meat cubes in flour and shake of excess.  toss into the hot oil and sear meat on all sides.  do not crowd the pan, work in batches if necessary.  once the meat is seared add it back to the pan with juices (if working in batches) and add onion, mushrooms and garlic.  add a bit more olive oil if needed. allow to cook down for a few minutes. add the sweet paprika, smoked paprika, hot paprika and caraway seeds and give it a good stir, so the spices are evenly distributed.  this will also toast the spices a bit. add the tomatoes and water and use a wooden spoon to scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan.  add beef broth and cover.  place in a 350 preheated oven and allow to cook for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is fall apart tender. 

remove from oven and add lemon juice.  add salt and pepper to taste.  allow to sit for a few minutes, then taste again for salt.  stir in sour cream and parsley (check one more time for salt). serve over buttered wide-noodles or dumplings

venison tagine {moroccan}

i may have mentioned before

(a time or three)

that hubs is a hunter

which

affords us a freezer full of rich meats

antelope, boar, venison, elk

venison works well with the heady spices 

found in an african pantry

 

venison tagine

serves 4

(printable recipe)

1 1/2 lbs venison (or lamb) cut into chunks

1/2 cup (about) flour

olive oil

salt to taste

3/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbs garam masala-after grinding*

large pinch saffron threads

2 cups warm water

1 medium onion-grated

1 clove garlic-finely chopped

generous handful dried cranberries or cherries

1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into slivers

1 lemon-grated zest and juice

1 cup blanched almonds

1/4 cup honey

2 Tbs unsalted butter

dissolve saffron in the warm water. preheat oven to 350F. heat olive oil in bottom of heavy bottom (oven proof) pot or dutch oven.  coat the venison pieces in flour and brown in olive oil.  once brown, add in onion and cook until the onion just begins to brown on edges. toss in garlic and give it a few stirs. allow to cook a couple of minutes.  add saffron water, cover and place in preheated oven.  cook until venison is very tender about 45-60 minutes).  remove from oven, add in cranberries (or cherries if using), apricots, honey, lemon zest and juice, almonds, and honey.  place over medium heat on stove and cook for about 15 minutes more. if it appears to be too dry add a bit of warm water just to loosen a bit. if it is too watery, remove the top and cook and stir to slightly thicken.  remove from heat and stir in butter just before serving.

serve with couscous or over rice
*i use whole spices-toast them and then grind in mortar and pestle...but if you can find garam masala in your spice aisle, by all means use it!

lemon chicken

i seem to be on a bit of a citrus jag lately

i suspect the reason being
this

on our back porch

sits a potted lemon tree

it produces exactly 

8 lemons

every other year

we have coaxed coddled and crooned to it

sadly

this is its best work

consequently,

when it produces

i get to work 

this recipe

is really 

a bit of this

and 

smidge of that

really delicious

very lemony

and 

extremely popular

in our house

the best part

it

freezes well

lemon chicken
(printable recipe)

1 lb chicken breasts
olive oil
1/2 onion--finely chopped
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
juice of 2 large lemons (a bit less if you don't like your chicken really lemony)
1 tsp honey (or more to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley--minced
pound the chicken breasts until they are thin like a cutlet. pat chicken dry.  heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet.  cook eat chicken breast enough to just brown, but not to cook completely through.  remove from skillet and reserve.  add a bit more olive oil and toss in the onion.  cook on medium heat until onion begins to soften. toss in the chicken broth and use tongs or spatula to scrape up all the bits of chicken that stuck to the bottom of the pan.  add the wine, lemon juice and honey. stir to combine, then put the chicken back into the skillet.  simmer on very low until the chicken is cooked through.  serve with the sauce spooned over the chicken. sprinkle a bit of parsley on top.  serve with lemon slices if desired.

  

cannelloni

after dinner

hubster leaned in real tight

and whispered

you make a great

lasagna

this is delicious

however

lasagna it is not

cannelloni

(printable recipe)

(adapted from mario batali)

fresh pasta sheets--boiled and shocked in ice water

for filling:

olive oil

1/2 lb ground pork

1/2 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 generous Tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

1 egg--lightly beaten

pinch freshly grated nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

glug enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of  skillet. add pork and beef and cook until no longer pink.drain off excess fat. stir in flour.  add milk and parmesan cheese. cook on low for about 10-15 minutes until thickened..  remove from heat, let cool a bit, then add egg, nutmeg salt and pepper. let cool completely while you boil pasta.

for tomato sauce:

use your favorite recipe or even a bottle sauce…you need only a little for this recipe

for besciamella:

3 Tbs unsalted butter

3 Tbs flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp nutmeg

pinch salt

melt the butter in a saucepan. whisk in the flour and cook for just a minute or two. do not brown.  whisk in milk and bring to a simmer.  as it begins to thicken, add the parmesan, nutmeg and salt.  the sauce is to be thickened, but not gooey. it is a sauce.

  to assemble:

place a bit of tomato sauce in the bottom of an oven safe dish

use a very generous tablespoon of meat for each cannelloni.  place meat in the center of the pasta sheet and spread evenly.  roll the pasta into a tube, leaving the ends open.  place in the prepared dish.  repeat with remaining meat and pasta.  once completed, cover in beciamella, swirl in a bit more tomato sauce.  sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  bake at 350 until heated through and the beciamella begins to bubble.

i am linking this up to

presto pasta nights
hosted at
debbie does dinner healthy

bangers and mash

last fall

hubster and i were in london

visiting with my good friend

she

treated us to a proper lunch

at a fancy restaurant

hubster and i

insisted on ordering

pub-type food

fish and chips

and

banger and mash

here's what i ate

believe me

it was as yummy as it looks

recently

i attempted a

duplication

let me first say this

it is not easy to find good bangers

it is a matter of

trial and error

but really

i could think of worse things

than
sausage tasting

actually

i think it would make a really fun party

instead of fondue

cook up some sausage

dip it in
mashed potatoes
 and
 gravy
add a cold bottle of lager
and
 you just might start a trend

my version of bangers and mash

Bangers and Mash
mushroom gravy
(printable recipe)
1 stalk celery--finely diced
1 carrot--finely diced
1 onion--finely diced
pinch salt
3 cups beef stock
1 bay leaf
3-4 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs thyme
2 oz unsalted butter-softened
3 Tbs flour
3 crimini mushooms--sliced
4 crimini mushrooms--diced
cook the celery, carrot, and onion in a bit of olive oil until just softened. add the beef stock all at once and stir.  toss in the sliced mushrooms, the bay leaf , the parsley and thyme.  cover and let simmer for at least 30 minutes but up to an hour.  strain.  return the liquid back to the pot.  mix together the butter and flour in a bowl.  add the warm stock, a bit at a time to the butter-flour mixture, whisking to make a smooth paste.  once you have a runny paste (much like toothpaste), whisk it into the broth until smooth.  toss in the diced mushrooms and simmer until it thickens and the mushrooms soften--about 10 minutes.  
bangers
4 bangers
4 thick cut bacon rashers
1/2 bottle lager
put bangers and bacon in a sided saute pan.  pour in beer and simmer until the beer has completely evaporated.  add just a bit of olive oil and allow it to continue to cook until the bangers are cooked through.  your pan will get really dark and scary looking.  don't worry...it won't damage (fill the pan with water and slowly simmer on the stove, it will clean right up)
mash
(printable recipe)
5 smallish yukon gold potatoes--peeled and halved
1/2 stick of unsalted butter--room temp
2 oz cream chese--room temp
milk
salt and pepper
boil potatoes in salted water.  drain and return to pot. toss in butter and cream cheese and mash.  add enough milk to get your desired consistency.  once you add the milk, you have to be mindful.  do not whip and beat endlessly. if you do, you may end up with gummy mash--yuck.  better to have a lump or two. if you like silky mashed potatoes, run them through a ricer before adding butter and cream cheese.  add salt and pepper to taste.
to assemble
place a generous portion of potatoes on your plate. top with the sausage and enough gravy to make you smile. top with a rasher of bacon.

i am linking this up to
tuesday night supper club
and
hearth and soul blog hop
and
beat the winter blues

crispy duck

when i heard that the secret ingredient for the iron chef challenge over at a latte with ott, a i freaked 

*a little* 

while i love crispy duck previously it only made its way into my kitchen already cooked

procured from one of those places downtown

with ducks and pork belly

hanging in the window

so delicious


the first time i remember having crispy duck
was at a very fancy chinese restaurant
in the heart of kensington, london
in the late 90's
they served
shark fin soup
and 
other delicacies
i am almost positive
it was the most expensive restaurant
ever
i was a guest
of a wealthy business man and his wife
who thankfully,
were adverse to shark fin
but loved crispy duck
and 
garlic noodles
they had ordered the duck when making the dinner reservation
several days prior
great fuss had been made
i must admit
it was impressive
and worth the king's ransom
it demanded

because i hardly

back away from a challenge
and particularly a food one

i purchased a duck

from the butcher

and 

made

crispy duck

duck broth
and
with the leftovers
whipped up
duck fried rice
(recipe coming soon)

Crispy Duck
(printable recipe)
*this is a 2 day affair...so plan accordingly
1 whole duck--cleaned and dried
finely grated zest from 1 orange
2 tsp chinese 5 spice
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 recipe duck broth
1 recipe glazing sauce
hoisin sauce--to serve
finely sliced green onions--to serve
cucumber cut into strips--to serve
chinese pancakes--to serve
remove the neck and any other parts from the cavity of the duck.  wash and dry the bird.  remove the back bone and snap the breast bone and flatten the duck.
like so

throw the back in the freezer--it is great for stock
mix the orange zest, five spice, salt and garlic powder in a small bowl. rub over the entire duck.  place the duck in the refrigerator and let sit 8 hours or overnight.  on day of duck preparation, remove the duck from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.  Steam duck for 25 minutes using duck broth in place of water. I use a bamboo steamer over a wok, but you can use whatever steaming mechanism you have.

Let the duck sit in the steamer for 5 minutes after removing it from the heat.  Lift it from the steamer and place on a roasting rack..in a roasting pan.  Let it fully dry---I place a small fan in front of it for about 2 hours.  once dry, brush liberally with the glazing sauce--fully saturating the duck.  Again, let sit at least an hour..to dry the skin again.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450. Place the duck in the oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and cook for about another 40 minutes.  Do not continue to baste, as it will reduce the crispiness of the skin.
Duck Broth
1/2 carrot--chopped
1/2 celery--chopped
1" knob fresh ginger--roughly chopped
1 shallot--chopped
1 rasher bacon--chopped
olive oil
duck neck (if your duck doesn't come with it, use the back)
1/2 oz calvados
3 cups chicken stock
heat a stock pot over medium heat.  add about 1 TBS of olive oil and bacon.  cook until the bacon begins to throw off some fat, then toss in the carrot, celery, ginger, and shallot.  cook for about 3 minutes, then toss in the duck neck.  cook for 5-6 minutes more then pour in the calvados and let it absorb.  add the chicken broth and let simmer for about 2 hours.  strain all solids, tossing everything except the duck neck.  return the duck neck to the broth and cool until needed. if refrigerating overnight, skim off the solid fat and discard before using.
Glazing Sauce
juice of 1 orange
3 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
heat all ingredients together just until the honey melts enough to incorporate into the rest of the liquid


i am linking this up to
tuesday night supper club
hearth and soul blog hop 
and
iron chef challenge

40 clove ham

i find it curious that

some of the biggest insults we toss about

 malign an animal 

that brings such great pleasure

things like

don't be a pig

he's swine of the worst kind

this place looks like a pig pen

are part of our common vernacular

rather than

being nasty about the plucky porcine

we should be saying things like

your skin has the milky creaminess of caul fat

and honestly,

who doesn't think 

crepine

is a beautiful name for a girl

wandering the grocery store

looking for inspiration for our new year's eve buffet

i found a ham

on sale, no less

and couldn't resist

the swine song

of a

well spiced

lightly sweet

and

mouth-watering salinity

of the

ham of my dreams

40 clove ham
(printable recipe)

10 lb bone-in ham (cooked or uncooked)

1/4 cup pork spice rub--my recipe here...or use your favorite

1/2 cup honey

2 Tbs spiced rum

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

juice of 1 orange

2 Tbs cider vinegar

2 tsp pork spice rub

40 whole cloves

cut diamonds into the pork fat and rub with spice rub. randomly stud with the whole cloves.  bake for 1 hour in large roaster on a rack.  baste each 30 minutes with sauce.  bake at 350 until thermometer reads 145 (if using a cooked ham) or 160 (if using an uncooked ham).  let rest 20 minutes.  slice and eat

* a cooked ham will take about 15-18 min per pound. an uncooked ham will take about 18-22 minutes per pound.  you do not want a canned ham for this. this is meant to resemble a honey baked, or spiral ham...but i think this is much better a quite cost effective.

15 bean and pearl barley chili

i enjoy soups and stews

year round

but this

pleasantly cool weather

makes me want to

hunker down with a 

stick to your ribs kinda meal

but 

stick to your ribs

sometimes

also means

stick to your thighs

if you know what i mean

this recipe

is vegetarian

and very low in fat

i might be so bold as to say

guilt free

it uses dried beans

so it will cost you a bit of time

in the soaking

but it is well worth it

i made a huge pot

and froze my leftovers

mainly because

hubster is a meat eater

say vegetarian chili to him

and he hears

i didn't make any dinner tonight

15 bean and pearl barley chili
(printable recipe)

1 bag 15 bean soup mix--beans only (save the flavor packet for something else--or toss it like i do)

water for soaking beans

1 onion--chopped

2 celery rib--chopped

2 carrots--chopped

1 pasilla chile--chopped

1 cup mushrooms--chopped

1/4 cup chili spice mix

1/4 tsp cayenne

4Tbs tomato paste

1 cup pearl barley

6 cups liquid (i used 4 cups vegetable broth and 2 cups beer)

1 generous tablespoon grated bittersweet chocolate (i had some salted chocolate in my pantry that worked a charm)

salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans in water overnight or use whatever method you are most comfortable with for softening dried beans.  Drain.  In a heavy stock pot, cook onions, celery, carrots, pasilla and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil, until they soften and just begin to brown.  toss in the chili spice, and cayenne and give it a turn or two to coat everything.  add the pearl barley and stir to coat.  stir in the tomato paste and chocolate, then toss in the beans and cook until they and the barley are tender. It should take about an hour over medium heat. Do not let boil, just simmer. season to taste with salt and pepper. serve with all your favorite chili fixins.

i am linking this to 

tuesday night supper club

israeli couscous carbonara

we love carbonara around here

black pepper rocks!

 it is a great go to week night meal

it is quick

it is packed with goodies

and 

the ingredients are typical larder items

i first learned about carbonara when i was in college

"studying" in italy 

a cooking instructor said it is what people would enjoy

late night

after the cinema or visiting with friends

we have letterman

they have carbonara

this recipe is an adaptation based on what i had on hand and the fact that i was in the mood

for shrimp

israeli couscous carbonara

with shrimp
(printable recipe)

olive oil

1/3 cup onion--minced finely

1 1/3 cup israeli couscous

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 rashers of bacon--chopped in small pieces

white wine or broth or water

15 shrimp (approx) (raw, shelled and deveined)

1 Tbs minced chive

1 Tbs black pepper

1 egg

1/4 cup cream

parmesan cheese for serving

in a pot, pour a bit of olive oil. heat over medium heat and toss in onion.  cook onion until it becomes translucent.  toss in the israeli couscous and stir until it starts to brown a bit.  pour in the chicken stock, cover the pan and cook about 12 minutes or until the liquid has been fully absorbed.

meanwhile in a frying pan, cook the bacon until it just begins to crisp up.  pour in a bit of liquid (wine, chicken broth or water) to slow the cooking and make a bit of a sauce. not too much, no more than an ounce.  while the pan is still hot, toss in the shrimp and cook until just done. set aside for a minute.

in a bowl whisk together the egg, black pepper, cream and minced chive.  all at once, toss in the hot couscous (the hot pasta will cook the egg but keep it creamy) and stir well.  Add the warm shrimp and bacon and stir again. Serve immediately.

this will make a nice first course for 5 people or dinner for 3

i am linking to 

Tuesday Night Supper Club

and

Hearth and Home Blog Hop

cornish hens with patatas bravas

yesterday i was editing my photos

of our trip to spain

and i came across this photo

of

patatas bravas

which we enjoyed

surrounded by the bustle 

of

la rambla

and a darling waiter

whom was leaving fake euros

under chair legs

as a tease

and

getting much more joy from the fake out

than the actual 

and generous, i might add

gratuity we left 

i immediately had a craving

hubster is a meat and potato kind of guy

and i 

am a potato and potato kind of girl

if i were making this just for me

i would round this off with a glass of red wine

and a good read

but

such is not the case

so

i am accompanying them

with cornish hen

stuffed with creamy and herbed cheese

patatas bravas

(printable recipe)

2 russet potatoes--peeled and cut into chunks

olive oil

place potatoes in a pot of cold,salted water.  boil until you can easily pierce. do not overcook.  drain and let cool.  heat oil in heavy pot.  fry potatoes in oil until golden brown. drain on kitchen paper and serve with aioli.

for aioli

1  large egg yolk

3 cloves garlic-finely chopped

2 tsp lemon

1/4 tsp salt

pinch sugar or drizzle of honey

1/4 tsp paprika (smoked or sweet)

1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)

1/2 cup olive oil

place egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, salt, sugar or honey, paprika and cayenne (if using) in a blender.  blend until smooth.  slowly drizzle the olive oil until it comes together like a thin mayonnaise.  taste for spice.  

*if there is NO WAY you are going to make aioli or don't want to use raw eggs...then do this: put 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 large garlic clove--crushed to a paste), 1 tsp lemon juice, pinch sugar, 1/2 tsp paprika and as much cayenne as you like in a blender and whirl it until everything is really smooth.  

cornish hen

(printable recipe)

2 cornish game hens--cleaned and dried

1/4 cup chevre--room temp

1/2 cup cream cheese--room temp

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cloves garlic-pulverized to paste

1 Tbs chopped fresh chive

1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

1 lemon

salt

pepper

olive oil

mix together the chevre, cream cheese, pepper, garlic, chive and parsley.  split into two portions and stuff into the cavity of each hen, and truss it up.   place in a roasting dish.  squeeze lemon juice over the hens and toss the lemon  into the roasting pan. drizzle a bit of olive oil over the hens and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  roast in 400 oven for about 30-40 minutes (depending on size).

the cheese gets all warm and gooey. you can dip your potatoes in it like hubster is known to do!

i am linking this to 

tuesday night supper club

and

hearth and soul blog hop

venison stoup

i call this stoup because 

it is a soup-slash-stew

or stew-slash-soup

it cooks for about 3 hours

but is brothy

and a great way to use some of the less tender pieces of venison

but would also be great with beef

if that is your thing

this is really delicious

even if you think it is sad that anyone would eat bambi

no one eats bambi

bambi was a cartoon, silly

this is bambi's mother

venison stoup
(printable recipe)

4 strips of bacon-diced

2 lbs venison-cut into chunks

1 medium onion--diced

3 cloves garlic--chopped

2 ribs celery--chopped

2 turnips--chopped

2 large carrots--cut into rounds

4-6 small red or white potatoes--quartered

1 head cabbage--cut into pieces

14oz can stewed tomatoes--sqeezed to crush

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup venison or beef broth

4-5 cups water

cook the bacon in a stock pot and render all the fat.  meanwhile, dry the venison with paper towel.  once the fat is rendered and the bacon starts to get crunchy, add the venison and cook until browned on all sides. toss in the onion, celery and garlic and cook until they begin to soften.  toss in the rest of the vegetables, including the tomatoes.  add the chili powder, salt and pepper.  give it a stir or two and then add the liquid.  you want enough liquid to cover the meat and vegetables.  give it another stir and then cover and cook over low heat about 3 hours.  check often to make sure it is not boiling (you want a simmer), and that you have enough liquid.

serve with crusty sourdough bread

i am linking to tuesday night supper club

and

hearth and soul blog hop

and
tasty tidbits

spaghetti alla vodka

my grandmother was famous for her alla vodka 

but not exactly like this 

for one thing--she was a traditionalist

and used penne

she also didn't make her own tomato infused vodka

because

she was a widow

raising 5 kids

with limited amount of time on her hands 

not all sorts
like i do

our garden produced so many late harvest tomatoes
that

i found myself using them in a variety of ways

sundried, oven roasted, confit

and soaked in vodka

this is really simple.  peel tomatoes and cram into a jar, use a skewer to secure tomatoes if they start to float to the top.  fill the jar with vodka and store in the refrigerator for at least 5 days.  i make several jars because i like to use the tomatoes and the vodka for my sauce. leftover vodka is really great for a bloody mary pick me up.

spaghetti alla vodka
(printable recipe)

1 lb spaghetti or pasta of choice

olive oil

1/2 of small onion--finely diced

2 garlic cloves--finely diced

6-8 basil leaves--chiffonade

1 large tin peeled whole tomatoes or combination of vodka soaked tomatoes and tinned tomatoes to equal about 4 cups whole

1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup tomato soaked vodka (or other vodka you have on hand)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving

cook pasta in salted water,  according to package instructions.  cook onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat.  meanwhile, place the tomatoes in a food processor or blender and pulse until it is smooth.  do not allow the onions and garlic to brown, but let them begin to soften and become translucent. at this point, add the tomatoes and vodka and let simmer for about  10-15 minutes.  add the basil, red pepper flakes and heavy cream and allow to heat through.  stir in parmesan, then toss drained pasta in.  if the sauce seems too thick,  use a bit of the pasta water.  shave a bit of parmesan on top of each individual serving, along with additional crushed red pepper, if you like spicy.  

i am linking this recipe to 

tuesday night supper club

and

hearth and soul blog hop

and
presto pasta nights

corned beef and cabbage

one of my food bloggie friends made this a few weeks ago

in celebration of her friend

an actor

and his new show

mike and mollie

which is adorable, by the way

if you watched it

did you happen to notice paula deen's possible future daughter-in-law... as the trampy sister?

bless her heart

back to the point..if i can find one

cooking underwriter's post

(she makes a roasted version)

reminded me that i really like cabbage that is cooked with corned beef

soft and buttery, it is truly perfect

the best part?

hubster will eat my portion of the beef in hash and sandwiches

i thought i would be really fancy and corn my own brisket

and found a great recipe from alton brown

but then saw that i had to find saltpeter

huh?

 yeah...i thought the same thing

i didn't want to buy it

so i purchased an already corned beef

which probably has some very bad things in it

but i closed my eyes and soldiered on

Corned Beef and Cabbage
(printable recipe)

3-4 lb corned beef or brisket if you are d.y.i.-ing it

1 large head green cabbage--cut into thin wedges, leaving the core intact

7-9 small yukon potatoes

cold water to cover the brisket

little packet of pickling spices that come with the corned beef (optional)

this is so simple. take a large pot, place the corned beef in it and cover with water to about 2" above the top of the meat. bring the pot to a boil and then immediately, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.  the meat will take approximately 50 minutes per pound.  about 45 minutes before the meat is planned to be finished, layer top the corned beef with the cabbage wedges and potatoes. make sure the potatoes get immersed in the liquid.  when the meat is fork tender, remove from the liquid and let sit covered for 30 minutes.  you can continue to cook the potatoes and cabbage if they aren't done to your liking.  

slice the corned beef against the grain and serve with the veggies and hot and spicy mustard.

and perhaps some irish soda bread

i am linking to tuesday night supper club

and 

tasty tuesdays

had i made my own corned beef, i would link up to

hearth and soul which has some amazing food, you should check it out