KISS ME, I’M IRISH – PART II

Who doesn’t love St. Patrick’s Day? Great parades, Irish wolfhounds, step dancing Irish lasses and laddies, a pint of Guinness and of course, the traditional corned beef and cabbage (although corned beef is an American, not Irish, tradition)! It always seemed as though the Chicago and New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parades were the most intriguing and colorful. I couldn’t wait to see those elegant and shaggy Irish wolfhounds – it was one of the highlights of watching the parades.

We always celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with the traditional boiled New England dinner of corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots, yet even as a youngster, it seemed to me that everything tasted the same, i.e. of boiled corned beef. I longed for more distinctive flavors. It wasn’t until I moved to Mill Valley, CA that I started my quest to discover more flavorful presentations. I longed for succulent corned beef, but finished off with a little more pizzazz and distinction. Hence discovery of a few ingredients to make a tasty glaze to cover the cooked corned beef for a few minutes in a hot oven to set the meat and give it a little more sophisticated taste. Boiled cabbage bored me to tears, but sautéed red and green cabbage with red onions, olive oil, butter, salt & pepper, a few caraway seeds, fresh egg noodles (precooked), a splash of vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar livened up the taste and presentation. I adore fresh baby carrots, and whole carrots with their trimmed green stem, sautéed with a little butter, brown sugar, as splash of Guinness and freshly chopped dill enhance their delicious sweet flavor. Ho-hum on the mashed potatoes, or even Colcannon – I opted instead for a potato casserole that could be prepared ahead, with grated russets, butter, sour cream or crème fraiche, Dubliner cheddar cheese, sprinkled throughout with freshly chopped chives and green onions for that touch of green. And Maureen’s Irish Soda Bread, of course. All of these ideas finally came together beautifully with the start of the traditional Adams Annual Irish Dinner.

ADAMS’ FAMOUS CORNED BEEF WITH SPECIAL GLAZE

• 2 3-Pound Corned Beef Briskets
• 1 Tablespoon Pickling Spice
• 2 12 Oz. Bottles Guinness Stout

Rinse corned beefs under cold running water. Place them into large stockpot and cover with cold water; bring to a boil and continue rolling boil under medium high heat for 5 – 7 minutes. You’ll see a cream colored “scum” forming on the top of the water. Remove corned beefs and set aside. Dump out the boiling water, and wash and rinse pot. Place hot briskets into pot, add cold water to cover, 1 Tablespoon of pickling spices, and put back onto burner. Again, bring to boil, being careful not to let pot boil over. Reduce heat to low and add two (2) bottles of Guinness Stout (and yes, it is OK to taste the stout!), bring heat up to medium for a slow rolling boil, then cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. You will need to simmer approximately 1 hour per pound, so two briskets should be fork tender after 3 – 3 1/2 hours. Turn the briskets over a few times during their simmer, and make certain they remain covered with the cooking liquid. When done, remove briskets and place into large roasting pan. Preheat Oven to 375 degrees, and make glaze (recipe below).

ADAMS SPECIAL CORNED BEEF GLAZE

• 1/2 Cup Dijon Mustard
• 1/2Cup Honey
• 1/3 Cup Sherry Wine Vinegar
• 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

Combine all ingredients into small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat to simmer while whisking glaze, and continue simmering for approximately 8 minutes. Pour glaze over briskets, cover with foil, and pop into preheated oven for approximately 15 – 20 minutes until glaze has caramelized. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes, then carve against the grain and drizzle a little of the glaze over the corned beef. Serve with your favorite St. Patrick’s Day side dishes or try the suggestions above for a yummy and satisfying dinner.

And now those Irish eyes are smiling!

— Lynn Kathleen Adams
 — RSCA Board Member since 1994