Recipe(tried): Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner

IRISH CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE DINNER

4 to 4 1/2 pound corned beef brisket, preferably second cut
1 cup dried horticultural shell beans, such as cranberry beans, or substitute dried pink or pinto beans (1/2 pound)
1 medium sized onion, peeled and pierced with 1 whole clove
1 teaspoon salt
16 small firm young beets
8 medium sized boiling potatoes, scrubbed
8 medium sized carrots, peeled
1 large rutabaga (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices
2 pounds firm green cabbage, trimmed, quartered and cored
1 bunch fresh parsley sprigs, trimmed, washed and thoroughly drained

Place the brisket in a 5 to 6 quart casserole and add enough water to cover it by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, meanwhile skimming off the scum and foam as they rise to the surface.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered for about 3 hours, or until the brisket is tender and shows no resistance when pierced deeply with the point of a skewer or small knife. (Check the pot from, time to time. The water should cover the brisket throughout the entire cooking time; add boiling water to the casserole if needed.)

Meanwhile, in a heavy 2 to 3 quart saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil over high heat. Drop in the dried beans (1 cup dried horticultural shell beans, such as cranberry beans, or substitute dried pink or pinto beans (1/2 pound) and boil them for about 2 minutes. (The water should cover the beans by at least 2 inches; if necessary, add more.)

Turn off the heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour.

Then add the clove pierced onion and the salt and bring to a boil again.

Reduce the heat to low, and simmer partially covered for 1 hour, or until the beans are tender. (Check he beans occasionally; add more boiling water if needed.) Drain the beans and discard the onion.

With a small, sharp knife cut the tops from the beets, leaving about 1 inch of stem on each. Scrub the beets under cold running water, then place them in a 3 to 4 quart saucepan and pour in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer until the beets show no resistance when pierced with the point of a small skewer or knife. This may take from 30 minutes to 2 hours; add boiling water to the beets if necessary. Drain the beets and, when they are cool enough to handle, slip off their skins.

The potatoes, carrots and about 1 1/2 pound peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices rutabaga may be cooked together in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water. Drop the vegetables into the pot and cook briskly, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until they are tender but not falling apart. Drain, then peel the potatoes with a small knife.

Cook the cabbage separately by dropping the quarters into enough salted boiling water to cover them completely. Reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered for about 15 minutes, or until the cabbage is almost tender but still somewhat resistant when pierced with the point of a small sharp knife. Drain thoroughly and cut each quarter into halves.

To serve the boiled dinner, carve the beef and arrange the slices slightly overlapping attractively along the center of a large, heated platter. Surround the meat with mounds of individual vegetables and garnish the platter with the parsley. Horseradish, mustard and pickles are spicy accompaniments to a corned beef dinner.

Source: Time Life Holiday Cookbook