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Easy Corned Beef &
Cabbage
One thing I really like about this recipe (besides
how well it works) is the fact that it makes a
relatively small amount, and I’m not left with tons
of sad-looking cabbage and potatoes. If you’re a) a
member of a 1- or 2-person household, or b) a parent
whose children would sooner die than even think
about eating anything so disgusting looking and
smelling as corned beef and cabbage, then you’ll
enjoy this recipe.
A recipe that appeared in The Boston Globe long ago
was my original inspiration for this. I’ve made some
changes over the years, but I thank the Globe for a
great starting place.
one small can (about 14 to 15 ounces) vegetable
broth*
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 of a small head of cabbage (about 12 ounces),
cored and cut into four wedges
1 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) baby carrots
3/4 to 1 pound baby potatoes**, about 1 inch in
diameter, washed
3/4 pound thin-sliced deli corned beef
*I’ve tried chicken broth, beef broth and vegetable
broth, and in my opinion vegetable is the best
choice in this recipe.
**I like to leave the skins on potatoes. If you
don’t like skins, go ahead and peel them. If you
can’t find baby potatoes, use about 3 medium or 2
large boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or some
other non-Russet variety.
In a saucepan or deep sauté pan with lid (or
electric frying pan), heat the broth, garlic,
caraway seeds and pepper to boiling. Add the
cabbage, carrots and potatoes; reduce the heat, and
simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes (maybe a bit
more), till the vegetables are fork-tender.
Remove the pan from the heat. Layer the sliced
corned beef evenly over the vegetables. Cover the
pan, and let it stand for 5 minutes, till the corned
beef is heated through.
Arrange the vegetables and corned beef (artfully, if
you’re into that sort of thing) on a serving
platter, and drizzle on some of the pan juices.
Serve with butter for the potatoes, and mustard for
the corned beef (if, like I do, you have a spouse or
other eating partner who wouldn’t think of eating
corned beef without mustard). Yield: Two very
substantial servings, or three regular servings, or
two servings with a bit left to fight over the next
day.
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