By Barbara Beltrami
There’s the supermarket flyer with perfect slabs of corned beef surrounded by perfect wedges of cabbage and perfect orbs of boiled potatoes. But who says that’s the only way to serve that traditional St. Patrick’s Day fare? Let’s go modern. Let’s think about corned beef and cabbage stew, corned beef and cabbage sliders or reubens or corned beef stuffed cabbage. In fact, how about a corned beef and cabbage pizza? They’re all different and delicious, and they can be cooked or at least assembled, in some cases, ahead of time. That leaves you more time to celebrate the wearin’ o’ the green.
Corned Beef and Cabbage Stew
YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
4 cups sliced cabbage
1 quart chicken broth
2 cups water
6 carrots, peeled and sliced into 2” chunks
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
One 3-pound corned beef brisket with spice packet
3 cups chopped potatoes
DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot heat oil over medium-high heat; add onions and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly wilted. Add broth, water, carrots, parsley, salt and pepper, corned beef and contents of spice packet. Cover and cook over low heat until corned beef is tender about 2 1/2 to 3 hours or according to package directions. Remove meat and let sit for 15 minutes. Cut into 2” cubes and return along with potatoes to cooking liquid. Cook over low heat until potatoes are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot with mustard or horseradish.
Corned Beef and Cabbage Pizza
YIELD: Makes two 12″ pizzas.
INGREDIENTS:
Nonstick cooking spray
1/3 cup coarse corn meal
2 pizza crusts
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
3 cups sliced or coarsely shredded green cabbage
1 small onion, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
8 ounces coarsely shredded cooked corned beef
1 large or 2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
Spray two 12” pizza pans with nonstick cooking spray. Scatter corn meal evenly over bottom of pan; roll out or stretch pizza dough to fit pans. Spread crusts evenly with mustard. Place cabbage and onion in a steamer basket over boiling water in a large saucepan; cover and steam until cabbage is just barely tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 450 F. Place cabbage and onions on pizza crusts, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then distribute corned beef over them and finally lay potato slices evenly on top. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle top with salt and pepper. Bake until crust is dark golden and potatoes are tender and crisp on edges, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot with stout beer or ale.
Corned Beef Stuffed Cabbage
YIELD: Makes 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large head cabbage
3 cups diced cooked corned beef
3 cups diced cooked potatoes, lightly mashed
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper to taste
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup beef or vegetable broth
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Separate large outer leaves from cabbage; wash and place in a steamer over boiling water; cook slightly until soft and flexible, about 10 to 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, with paring knife remove rib from center or each leaf (you will now have two leaves).
In a large bowl combine corned beef potatoes, salt, pepper and egg; mix well and form into small balls, about one heaping teaspoon each, depending on size of leaf. Place mixture in center of each leaf, tuck sides in and roll up. Spray bottom of casserole dish or Dutch oven. Place cabbage rolls, flap side down and place any extra leaves on top. Pour broth over them, cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes, until heated through. Serve hot or warm with crusty bread and Irish butter.
