Happy St Patrick's Day!

Corned Beef and Cabbage, what else? Here's my take on this classic and satisfying dish. The recipe below serves 4-6. As a rule allow 1/2 to 3/4 pound of beef per person (trust me, it will shrink by half), and cook for one hour per pound. And which cut? Flat cut is less fatty than point cut, but the fat adds flavor; bottom round is another good option.

Ingredients

3-4 pound piece corned beef
1 medium head green cabbage
2 sweet onions
2 carrots
1 stick celery
4-6 potatoes
a bottle of beer (Irish*, of course)
6 cloves
2 bay leaves
black pepper
1 cup water

Method

Rinse corned beef under cold water to reduce saltiness. Place it in a large pan, fat side up. Peel onions and stud with 3 cloves each. Add these to pan along with prepared, whole  carrots and celery stick. Remove outer layers of cabbage, cut into big chunks and add to the pan. Add your choice of beer and sufficient water to cover the beef.

Simmer the beef or bake it at 350 F, reducing the heat to 325 after the first couple of hours. Check the liquid level hasn't gone down by much - add a cup of water as needed. When the meat is just tender add the potatoes to the pan, peeled and cut into rough chunks. Cook for a further 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are done.

Remove the beef from pan and place a weighted object on it. Arrange vegetables on a platter and keep hot. Strain liquid and boil to reduce a little, then check seasoning. Now slice the beef across the grain and add slices to the platter. Pour some stock over the platter, and serve the rest separately. Some soda bread would be a nice touch to soak up the delicious juices. Mustard is another traditional accompaniment.

*Murphy's, O'Hara's and of course Guinness should give you plenty of flavor choice. I have had great results with Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale.