Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

In Ireland, Saint Patrick's Day is a cultural and religious holiday in remembrance of the death of patron saint, Saint Patrick. In my elementary school years, Saint Patrick's Day meant remembering to wear something visibly green or find the wrath of pinching fingers during recess. It was a playground game all of us knew and if you forgot, you could not escape the constant attempts from pretty much everyone to make you their prey for their amusement only. My daughter Mimi tells me her friends and classmates don't do this to one another. In fact, she had a hard time believing that this would happen. Oh, how times have changed. 

Here in the United States, Saint Patrick's Day is largely thought of as the day to eat green food such as cupcakes with mint green frosting and decorated with a candy four-leaf clover. It's also the one day of the year I eat corned beef and cabbage or Irish stew.` With grocery stores selling brisket in its own brine and spice pack, making corned beef and cabbage at home has never been easier, which makes this Saint Patrick's Day a great excuse to celebrate the holiday for the heck of it. Even if it is all about the food. 

Today I have an easy recipe for this popular dish. It's practically fail-proof and the stock leftover from cooking the brisket makes for a great cabbage side dish, which you have to serve if you're going to eat corned beef. Leftovers make great Reuben sandwiches or breakfast hash the next morning. Even if you're not Irish, this is one culinary tradition worth enjoying each year. If I may say, it's much better than getting pinched.  Enjoy!