Corned Beef & Cabbage Platter

4½5lb (2kg.) piece of corned beef (preferably the top rib, but silverside is good, too) 2 onions, peeled but left whole 6 cloves 2 bay leaves 8 black peppercorns 3 large carrots, peeled and cut [...]]]> A little late for this year but here is the recipe again:

Corned Beef & Cabbage Platter

Ingredients

4½5lb (2kg.) piece of corned beef (preferably the top rib, but silverside is good, too)
2 onions, peeled but left whole
6 cloves
2 bay leaves
8 black peppercorns
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3 pieces each
4-6 evenly sized floury potatoes (about 100g/4oz each), peeled and halved
1 tightly packed, medium-sized green cabbage
salt and freshly ground black pepper
hot mustard, to serve (preferably any mustard other than English Mustard)

Method

1. Rinse the corned beef under cold water to remove the brine and put it into a large but snugly fitting pan that is also large enough to hold all the vegetables. Stud the onions with the cloves and add them to the pan with the bay leaves, peppercorns and enough water to cover. Bring to the boil over a high heat, skimming off any scum as it rises to the surface. Then reduce the heat, cover and leave to simmer for 2-2½ hours, until the beef is tender, skimming the surface and topping up the water now and then if necessary.
2. Remove the beef and allow to sit, covered with aluminum foil  Add the carrots and bring back to the boil. Then add the potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, wash the cabbage, cut it into 6 or 8 wedges and remove the thickest part of the core, but leave a little to help hold the leaves together. Add to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes, by which time all the vegetables should be tender.
3.Place the corned  beef on to a carving board and carve the meat across the grain into slices. Arrange the beef and vegetables on a large, warmed serving platter and moisten with a little of the stock. Serve with some hot (non English) mustard, if you wish.

Serve with Guinness or a Chocolate Stout.

This sauce is know throughout the world as all’Alfredo, coined for the restaurateur who popularized it. In restaurants in North America you can often order it with shrimp or chicken. Whipping cream is the key here, so if you are watching your waistline, cut back for a few [...]]]> Fettuccine with Butter and Cream Sauce

This sauce is know throughout the world as all’Alfredo, coined for the restaurateur who popularized it. In restaurants in North America you can often order it with shrimp or chicken. Whipping cream is the key here, so if you are watching your waistline, cut back for a few days afterward. After all, life is about balance, not denial.

Serves 4-6

Adapted from Marcella Hazan’s The Essentials of Italian Cooking

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 pounds fettuccine (fresh or dried)

2/3 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus extra at table

salt

freshly ground pepper

whole nutmeg

Directions:

1) Heat 2/3 cup of the cream and the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan until thickened–about a minute. Turn off stove.

2) Cook the pasta until it is al dente. Drain and transfer to the saucepan with the cream and butter. Turn heat on low and toss the pasta to coat evenly with the sauce.

3) Add the remaining 1/3 cup cream, the 2/3 cup of cheese, a pinch of salt and the pepper. Add a couple of gratings of nutmeg. Toss again briefly until the fettuccine are well coated. Taste and correct the salt. Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan on the side.

I love the outdoor markets in Paris!

Paris Market from David Lebovitz on Vimeo.

It is actually a recipe from Alain’s father who lives in the South of France that Alain taught to Ned.

This is the kind of dish that is made [...]]]> Potatoes Ned & Alain

This is the simplest of potato dishes yet you never see any version of this in cookbooks or on restaurant menus.

It is actually a recipe from Alain’s father who lives in the South of France that Alain taught to Ned.

This is the kind of dish that is made ahead of time and only improves over time as one waits to reheat it. We have never served this without hearing accolades from our guests and requests for the recipe. … Easy Peasey! Here it is!

Preheat the oven to 450°

Peel some medium sized potatoes (enough to fill the bottom of your pan) and cut into thin rounds (about an 1/8^th of an inch thick.

Spread EV Olive Oil an omelette pan or cast iron skillet . Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom, overlapping from the inside out.

Drizzle or brush the layer with EV Olive Oil then generously sprinkle with pepper and salt.

Slice the large onion and layer on top of the potatoes

Repeat these layers until the pan is full (the final layer is just potatoes) and sauté over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes.

Cook in oven [450°F] over until brown [40min.... 20 min on bake and 20 min on broil]

Remove from the oven, turn out onto a dish upside down and cut into slices like a pie.