St. Patrick's Favorite Corned Beef and Cabbage

First, apologies to all for the slow blogs coming in, but I have very sad news to report. My laptop died. Well, at least it is at least in ICU and not looking good, and until it is back up (WITH ALL MY RECIPES ON IT) I'm in a bit of a pickle (so to speak). So, I'm blogging on a 9-year-old desk top job right now that just ain't cutting it, but I'll try to carry on while the computer docs work their magic. Thanks for being patient and...now it is time to gear up for St. Patty's Day.

As most Southerners know, the Savannah, GA, St. Patrick's Day celebrations are a sight to behold, and in commemoration of all the Southern Irish among us (me included!) here's the St. Patty's Dish I'll be making...good ol' Corned Beef and Cabbage.

The recipe I'm posting today is one I've used for several years that I adapted for the crock pot for us workin' folks. To give credit where credit is due, it originally came from Epicurious but has been altered a tad by moi. I love to serve this with Creamy Cauliflower (see recipe list at left!) for even more cruciferous-ness. So may the luck o' the Irish be with you all of your days, and happy St. Patty's!

Corned Beef and Cabbage
5 lb. or so corned beef brisket
6 peppercorns, or packaged spices that come with the corned beef
3 large carrots, peeled and quartered
3 Sweet onions, such as Viadalia or Texas Sweet, peeled and quartered
1 medium-sized green cabbage, quartered and cut into wedges
1/2 c. white wine or low-sodium beef, chicken, or veggie broth or stock
4 T. melted butter or butter substitute, such as Smart Balance
non-stick cooking spray

Crock pot method: Spray crock with cooking spray. Add corned beef and sprinkle with peppercorns or the spices that came with it (if spices come with it). Add wine, broth, or stock. Add carrots and onions (but NOT cabbage). Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until done and tender (You can leave it longer if you're at work. Just make sure you start out with at 1/2 c. liquid in the beginning so things don't scorch in the beginning). Add cabbage during the last 30 minutes and turn temp to high. Check frequently to make sure cabbage doesn't get mushy. "Just steamed in the juices" is the goal. When cabbage is done, transfer meat and veggeis to a platter and brush the veggies with melted butter / Smart Balance. Serve with grainy mustard or horseraddish.

Stove top method: Place the corned beef and wine or broth in a large stock pot and add water to cover the brisket. Add the peppercorns or mixed spices that came with the corned beef (if spices came with it). Cover the pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 hours or until tender. Skim fat / impurities from the top. During the last hour, add the carrots and onions and cover again. During the last 15 minutes, add the cabbage. Transfer meat and veggies to a platter and brush the vegetables with the melted butter.