Katherine Hepburn was Right.....

The definition of an eternity, is two people and a ham; I actually think she's saying that to Nick (Bogart) here--See the urgency on her face???

Love having Shamrocks in my yard

With St. Patrick's day a few days away, and most home cooks steeling themselves to make the traditional corned beef and cabbage (which can be tasteless, and bland, even with the pickled meat) I thought it was time to break with tradition and make a ham--2 days before St. Pat's  since I'm leaving on St. Pat's day for Indiana.  Now, with just Dr. C. and I here, this ham will feel like it's got the shelf life of a Twinkie, but I'll be using it to make a few things for Dr. C. to have in the freezer when I'm gone for the next 3 weeks on a teaching gig.

 I'm hoping when I fly into Chicago on Saturday I will be able to see the River tinted green (with vegetable dye)
 Corned beef and cabbage seems to be the traditional meal served here in the US, but only the cabbage is traditional in Ireland.

Cheap, and easy to grow the cabbage was served with Irish bacon, which is similar to Canadian bacon, not corned beef.

Irish Bacon

Corned beef was substituted by Irish immigrants because it was cheaper than bacon, and their Jewish neighbors introduced it to them.I actually think that Katherine could have included corned beef in her definition of an eternity, although you can make a stellar hash, or Reuben sandwiches with the leftovers,

as well as traditional Colcannon, an Irish potato and cabbage dish.
 

Colcannon

 So, back to my ham; I'm going to glaze it with a whole grain mustard, and apple cider, then torch it with my creme brulee torch and some raw sugar to give it a crackly glaze (that's what they do at the fancy ham stores)

and serve it with a potato gratin and salad.  Dr. C. can have ham sandwiches for a day, I'll freeze some of it, make a crustless quiche with Gruyere cheese, some of the potatoes and chunks of ham, and then freeze the bone for split pea soup. Click here for a recipe for the split pea soup.

Other ideas for St. Pat's would be a delicious Irish lamb stew covered in seasoned mashed potatoes, like the photo above. Last year's blog included a recipe for Guinness cupcakes which are PDG!

I will be back with my ham adventure tomorrow, but for today, here are two great recipes for corned beef and cabbage from my slow cooker book; both are way too easy, but taste amazing.  The balance between the sweet Riesling and the salty corned beef, is terrific, and you can boil down the cooking liquid and use that to sauce everything.

Even though the Queen refused a sip, I think you need to help yourself while making your dinner!

  The dark Guinness is a terrific combination with the salty corned beef, and flavors the vegetables, as well.

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Riesling

Serves 6 to 8

12 small Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed

2 cups baby carrots

3 medium sweet yellow onions, like Vidalia, coarsely chopped

2 cups Riesling

½ cup whole grain Mustard

¼ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

4 whole peppercorns

2 bay leaves

One 3 ½ to 4-pound corned beef brisket, rinsed, and any excess fat removed

One large head of green cabbage, cut in half, cored and thickly sliced

1. Layer the potatoes, carrots, and onions in the insert of a 5 to 7-quart slow cooker. 
2. In an 8-cup measuring cup, whisk together the Riesling, mustards, and sugar. Stir in the peppercorns and bay leaves. 
3. Place the brisket on top of the vegetables in the insert; if you are using a 5-quart cooker, you may need to cut the brisket in half and stack the pieces on top of each other to make it fit. 
4. Pour the Riesling mixture over the brisket, then strew the cabbage over the top of the brisket, cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. 
5. Remove the brisket from the cooker, and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes, to rest.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables and arrange them on a platter.  Slice the brisket and arrange over the vegetables.  Strain the liquid from the crock and ladle a bit over the meat and vegetables before serving. 

Slow Cooker Savvy:  Due to the long cooking time required, if cabbage is quartered as it is when this meal is made on the stove top, it will disintegrate.  Slicing the cabbage gives you a blanket for the brisket, and some of the cabbage flavor when it is laid on the platter with the other vegetables.  If you would like to serve quartered cooked cabbage alongside your corned beef, add it during the last 2 hours of cooking time.  It will still retain its crispness.

Corned Beef with Guinness

Serves 6 to 8

 If you would like to add vegetables to this Corned Beef, add 12 small Yukon Gold potatoes, and 2 cups baby carrots to the corned beef and Guinness mixture.  If you would like to include cabbage, see instructions above in Slow Cooker Savvy.

Two 12-ounce cans Guinness or other dark ale

¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons mustard seed

6 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

2 all spice berries

3 large sweet yellow onions, such as Vidalia, sliced ½-inch thick into half moons

One 3 ½ to 4-pound corned beef, rinsed

2. Cook the corned beef for 8 to 10 hours on low until the meat is fork tender.  Remove the meat from the cooker, and cover with aluminum foil for 20 minutes to rest before slicing. Remove the bay leaf, pepper corns and all spice from the cooking liquid.  Slice the brisket thinly, across the grain, and serve with mustard and dark bread, or slice and return to the slow cooker with the juices cover and keep warm to allow your guests to serve themselves. 

Even in this photo she still looks like she's had enough ham!

Luck of the Irish, Wearing of the Green and Guinness

A purple shamrock plant; I have three in my yard, and love them!

I've talked a lot about my Italian family, but the other side of my heritage is Irish.  My grandmother on my dad's side was one of 11 children (holy cow!) and came to Boston in the early 1900's from Connemara near Galway to work as a domestic for the Cabot family (of the Henry Cabot Lodge family)

When she made enough money she sent it home to bring her next sibling, her sister Maureen, (later renamed Mary) to Boston.  These women worked hard, and although they were used to hard work, they also had a lot of ambition and they didn't mind serving other people.  

The best story from this side of the family was about the next two girls, who came over together, Annie and Elizabeth.  They got to Boston, after a horrific (I can't even imagine steerage in those days) sea voyage, and were told the Irish quota was full, they would have to go back....so they turned around, went back on the same ship, only to leave again several weeks later from Ireland to return and finally be granted entrance. 

For years, they would tell this story, embellishing it as they drank their whiskey and ginger-ale which they would offer small children at 10 a.m. Hard work was a hallmark of the memories I have of these women; even as a teenager I saw them come home after several days at their jobs to sink into a chair, rub their feet and put them up, exhausted beyond what I could comprehend, but still with great stories to tell about the household they served or reminiscing about the "old sod".  Although I've never been to Ireland, it's on the list, and I can't wait to see the old house where my grandmother was born, I understand it is still standing, a miracle in itself.  

I'm hoping it looks more like this than.......

this!

Tomorrow as we celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I like to remember my Geary Aunts and all their stories about Ireland.  They made it sound like a magical place, but I know it had to be a hard life, and even harder to leave your parents and all you've known to go to a new world.  

People always ask me if we have corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's day, and I have to be honest, I never remember my grandmother making it, she would usually do lamb (mutton actually) with gravy that you could skate across it was so greasy.  Corned beef and cabbage isn't one of my faves, so I usually make lamb, or Shepherds' pie or something that I could imagine being served in Ireland--I've never met a potato I didn't like! 

I almost always forget to wear green---it's not a color I have in abundance in my closet, so I mostly remember when I see people in their day-glo green shirts.  With a maiden name like Fitz-Patrick, you'd think I'd remember! 

Today, I decided to make Guinness cupcakes.  I had a Guinness cake when I was in London and it was really delicious, but I could never find a recipe; this one is adapted from a few that I found on the internet, and it actually made some dynamite cupcakes.  I made a cream cheese and Bailey's Irish Creme frosting to go along with them, and it's awesome---you could spread it on tongue depressors it's so good!  

Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Creme Frosting

Makes 18

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
1 1/3 cup Guinness or other Irish stout
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake tins with liners or coat with non-stick cooking spray. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, add the eggs, one at at time, and gradually pour in the vanilla and Guinness.  The mixture will look curdled. 

With the machine on low, gradually add the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda and beat on medium speed until smooth, and well combined.  

Using a large portion scoop, scoop the batter into the cupcake tins, filling 2/3 to 3/4 full.  

Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the cupcakes spring back when touched in the center.  Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

Bailey's Irish Creme Frosting

Makes enough to frost two 8 inch layers or 24 cupcakes

5 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
4 ounces cream cheese, softened, and cut into cubes
2 to 4 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Creme

In a food processor, process the sugar, and with the machine running, add the butter and cream cheese until blended.  Add the Bailey's a bit at a time, until the mixture is spreading consistency.  

Pipe onto cupcakes using a large star tip,or frost using a small off-set spatula.  The cupcakes and the frosting can be frozen for up to 2 months. I think green sprinkles might ruin the effect, but if you have them (I don't) you could sprinkle the cupcakes with them for a bit of wearing of the green! 
 

Tomorrow I will be flying, so I may not get a chance to post, unless the airline food/service warrants a good laugh....we can all use that right now as we watch the tragedy unfold in Japan.  I wish you all a happy St. Patrick's day!