Easy Corned Beef

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. (P.J. Hamel, editor-The Baker's Catalogue®)

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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