Corned Beef and Cabbage

This recipe takes some prep, but it is so good.

Corned Beef Brine Ingredients:
10 cups water
1 1/2 cups kosher salt (I used 1 cup Celtic sea salt)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 TBS dry mustard
3 TBS pickling spices (see recipe below)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh 7-9 pound brisket

Pickling Spice Ingredients:
2 TBS mustard seeds
2 TBS whole allspice
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp whole cloves
1 inch fresh ginger sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 (2 inch) cinnamon stick
2 TBS black pepper corns

Corned Beef and Cabbage Ingredients:
3 ribs celery (I used fennel ribs w/ fronds)
2 large onions, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium red potatoes
5 large carrots, cut into thirds
1 head of cabbage, cut into 6 or 8 wedges

Preparation:
Combine water, salt, sugar, mustard, spices and 3 minced garlic cloves in an nonreactive stock pot. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Trim beef of extra fat and put into cooled liquid. Add enough cold water to cover the beef. Cover the pan and refrigerate for 7-9 days. Check to make sure it stays submerged and turn it every day or two.

Remove beef from brine and rinse it well. Place it in a large stock pot. Cover with water and add celery, onions, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Bring to a boil. Remove any scum that floats to the surface. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Add potatoes, carrots, cabbage and simmer until tender, about an hour. Salt and pepper the stock to taste. Serve.

Left over meat makes great corned beef sandwiches.

Corned Beef or Pastrami lunch meat:
To make corned beef lunch meat, remove brisket from refrigerator. Rinse well and pat dry. Wrap tightly in 6 layers of foil. The layer touching the meat should be greased. Cook roast on 240F for 5 hours. Remove and allow to cool 24 hours in refrigerator. Thinly slice and serve. Mine was a bit dryer than store bought meat, but still tastes great.

To make Pastrami lunch meat, start by brining a corned beef brisket. Remove brisket from refrigerator after 7-9 days. Rinse well and pat dry. Mix 1 TBS smoked paprika, 2 TBS ground coriander, 1 tsp garlic powder and sprinkle over entire roast. Sprinkle 1 TBS hot pepper flakes over entire roast. Sprinkle 3 TBS coarse black pepper over entire roast. Press the rub down, so it sticks to roast. Tightly wrap roast in 6 layers of foil. Grease the layer touching the roast and follow cooking/cooling/serving instructions from the corned beef lunch meat recipe.

Pickled Beets

I pickle these and keep them in the fridge, but you could actually can them for longer storage.

3-4 large beets (cooked til fork tender, skin removed and diced into bite sized pieces)
2 cup water
2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 inch piece fresh ginger (diced)
1/2 tsp cloves
2 TBS sugar (I use liquid stevia to taste)

Boil vinegar with all ingredients except cooked beets. Place beets in a clean jar. Pour boiling liquid over beets. Put a lid on it and let stand in fridge for 24 hours. Then enjoy. These last about a month in the refrigerator.

Gluten Free Bread

This is a great recipe, you wouldn't even know it was wheat free if I didn't tell you.

1 cup sorghum flour
1/8 cup teff flour
5/8 cup tapioca flour (that's 1/2 cup + 1/8 cup)
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup almond meal or flax meal
2 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
2 tsp active dry yeast
2 eggs + 2 egg whites
1 cup water
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS honey or agave nectar
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 TBS molasses

Combine and sift all dry ingredients except the yeast. Set aside. In blender mix all wet ingredients until frothy. Follow your bread machine instructions. Mine are to pour liquids in first, then add flour mixture. Finally make a well in flour and add the yeast. Use basic setting with a medium dark crust.

Vegetable Bisque Soup

Vegetables from vegetable broth recipe
8 oz. cream cheese

Use strained vegetables from the broth recipe and place in blender with cream cheese (You may have to do a couple of batches). Season with salt, pepper or garlic powder as needed. Heat in a sauce pan and serve.

Vegetable Stock

1 whole head garlic
4 large carrots, cut into chunks
4 stalks celery, cut into chunks
3 onions, quartered
1/4 yellow bell pepper, skin removed
1 can stewed tomatoes
5-10 button mushrooms
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
8 cups water
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley

Roast all vegetables. Add vegetables and seasoning to water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Strain vegetables and seasonings. Reserve clear broth. Use vegetables for a vegetable bisque soup.

White Bean w/ Fennel Soup

4 cups vegetable broth
1 small fennel bulb (trimmed and sliced)
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 clove garlic (minced)
1 bunch fresh kale (chopped and blanched)
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except beans together in a large stock pot. Simmer for about an hour. When vegetables are soft add beans and allow to cook until beans are warmed through. Garnish with cheese. Serve.

Crumble Crust

1 cup sugar
1/2 TBS molasses
1 cup flour
1/4 cup butter (cold, diced)

Mix until all ingredients are crumbly. Sprinkle on pie.

G.F. Pan Bread

1 cup Pamela's bread mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp baking soda and baking powder each
1/4-1/3 cup oil.

Mix all until smooth. Fill a 9x9 pan and laddle 1/2 cup oil over batter. Cook 425F for 20 minutes or until golden.