Recipes:Corned Beef and Cabbage, Colcannnon, Sausage and Saurkraut, Reubens and Faux Lobster aka Kippers in the Jar

Dear Anais,
Though there is snow on the ground here still, it won't be long before the crocus's will bloom and the warm winds blow and St.Patrick's day will be upon us. While I am still singing with the Irish singers I should make sure to gain a fine recipe for Irish soda bread to go along with these recipes. A nice one that uses buttermilk would be grand! But I digress, here is my recipe for corned beef and cabbage as many Chicagoans make it:

Corned Beef and Cabbage

2 pieces corned beef -one point cut and one flat cut
(If you buy one there will not be enough, nor will there be left over for reubens!)
1 head of green cabbage , cored and quartered.
1/2 dozen red or white potatoes
(no russets or baking kind, they will turn to mush)
1 large white onion, cut in half.
whole cloves
1 bay leaf

Take the biggest pot you have and lay the fattiest cut of beef fat side down on the pan. Take one half of the onion and poke it with cloves like you have since you were little. Place the onion, the seasoning packet the meat comes with, and everything else in the pot. Cover it all with enough water to make it all swim. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer roughly 2 hours for every brisket. Be cautious not to let it cook too long, or the beef can get too soft and then it will just shred as you cut it.

Notes: For a spicy variation you can cut into one of the briskets and stuff garlic cloves into it. I haven't before as you and your sisters were too little to take the spice. If you have one large enough ,you can put this meal to slow cook in a crock pot. I never have as this meal is so heart clogging, it really is only something to be served once a year. It used to be my annual meat indulgence, LOL. The best thing about it is serving reubens for lunch the week after.

Reubens

Margarine
2 slices Pumpernickel
Corned beef
1 slice Swiss cheese
Thousand island dressing
sauerkraut

Spread Margarine on outside of pumpernickel bread. Microwave Corned beef and sauerkraut until warm. Place on Bread with cheese and dressing. Cook in hot skillet or sandwich maker until cheese is melted.

Now the best time to make these is if you have leftover sauerkraut from Polish sausage and sauerkraut. Of course I have a weakness for wedding sausage(weselna), or black forest sausage but any sausage is good. We are so blessed here to have all the polish delis, but you and daddy will have to make do with what you can get from the store.

Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut

1 Big link of Sausage
(I prefer to cut it into portions ahead of time so everyone knows what makes a serving, otherwise you have grabbypoos who take too much)
1 package of kraut
(I like sour less than I used to and I prefer to rinse it a bit, but John likes it super sour-follow your own tastes. Some people like it very mild and with a lot of onions and butter...hmmm-who would I know who likes onions?
1 Tb caraway seeds
(yes caraway seeds always caraway seeds!!!!!)

Throw it all in a giant sauce pan. and simmer for 20 min. Eat it all. Usually there is sauerkraut leftover but no sausage-perfect for tomorrow's reubens.

Sometimes the corned beef leftovers can vanish quickly leaving you with a pot full of lonely cabbage. Take heart! Nothing need go to waste. Now you have the fixings for colcannon. The first time I tasted this was in Chloe's Gramma Kitty's kitchen. I have never had it made any other way, and I have heard others make it with kale and not cabbage as she does. But it was just so delicious I don't think I could be persuaded to fix it in any other manor. She did not divulge her recipe, but I made my own fashioned after the way gramma makes mashed potatoes and how Gramma Kitty's Colcannon tasted.

Colcannon

2-4 cubed potatoes
milk
2-4 Tb butter
1 tsp salt
generous pepper
sliced steamed cabbage

Put the potatoes in the pot with he salt and water, set to boil. Boil for ten minutes or until tender. Drain. Add enough Milk to make them moist and 2 Tb butter mix with a mixer. Microwave leftover cabbage until warm, stir into the potato mixture. Top with more butter and and pepper.

Notes: This should really be a simple and pleasant dish. You can use freshly steamed or leftover cabbage. You can use any greens in place of cabbage. I have heard kale is nutritious and traditional. When in a hurry I have replaced a portion or all of the mashed potatoes with instant.

I know you are not fond of fish, but since I posted the colcannon, I will have to post your sister's and my favorite dish to go with the colcannon; Faux Lobster or Kippers in the Jar

Faux Lobster or Kippers in the Jar

1 smoked mackerel
1 large jar or jug
1 lemon

John rarely gets flowers, and when he does I always like them better in a pint glass rather than a vase. The vases were made of sturdy glass and much better suited for kippers than roses anyhoo. Make sure the mackerel is missing his head. I don't fancy the head portion and thought it best left for the kitties. Behead him with a sharp knife if need be. Put the mackerel (the same as a kipper) tail up in the vase, jar or jug and boil some water. Gently pour boiling water into the vase to submerge the kipper. The easiest method I find, is to pour it in as if you are pouring a fine glass of ale, tilting the container to the side and letting the liquid hit the side so as not to make bubbles. This will keep the kipper from tearing his skin and getting too disheveled. Let him set for 10 minutes or so. (Long enough to make the colcannon maybe?) then debate how to get him out. If you pour the liquid out you must be certain not to spill the hot fishy liquid all over the place and crash the dinner giving it to the cat (hmm, what would I know about that?) if you take him out with tongs you run the risk of him sliding out of his skin and yet again feeding the cat (this cat has a good chance of being very well fed you might say!) either way be very careful not to burn the cat and aim for the plate! Lay the mackerel open and squeeze him all over with lemon juice. Serve!