Yesterday, March 7th, Molise PR accompanied Chef Victor Newgren of Lawry’s the Prime Rib while he cooked for hungry guests at the Flower & Garden Show at Navy Pier.  Over 250 show-goers took a break from perusing the petunias and browsing the bulbs to watch Chef Victor whip up a St. Patrick’s Day feast of corned beef and cabbage (recipe below) and then a yummy breakfast of corned beef hash, brioche toast and a sunny-side-up egg.

Volunteers handed out samples, while Chef kept the crowd enraptured with stories from his days as an up-and-coming culinary student.  One especially funny anecdote included a corned beef-craving Sen. Ted Kennedy, to whom Chef Newgren accidentally denied his hash only to find out later who the mystery man was.  Long story short, in lieu of the corned beef hash, he made him an omelet which, he said, Mr. Kennedy loved so much he declared it the “best he had ever had” and indulged in a second helping.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients:

5 lb.             Vienna Corned Beef Brisket

2 gal.            Water

1 gal.            Beef Stock

1 ea.            Cinnamon Stick

1 T            Yellow Mustard Seed

1 tsp.            Black Peppercorns (whole)

2 ea.            Cloves

1 T            Whole Allspice

3 ea.            Juniper Berry

2 ea.            Bay Leaves (fresh or dried)

1 ea.            Spanish Onion (cut in half)

3 ea.            Celery Stalks (cut in half)

2 ea.            Large Carrots (cut in half)

3 ea.            Whole Green Cabbage Heads (cut into quarters)

1 lb.             Baby Carrots

1 lb.             Small Red Skin Potatoes

Preparation:

• Place all spices in cheesecloth, tie into a bundle with a string
• In large, oversized pot: Add water, beef stock, brisket, spice bundle, Spanish onion, celery and the 2 cut up, large  carrots
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 ½ hours
• Add the cabbage and cook an additional 30 minutes
• Add the red skin potatoes and cook an additional 45 minutes
• Add the baby carrots and cook an additional 15 minutes
• You will know it is done, when you can easily pierce the brisket with a meat fork and it is tender

Horseradish Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Qt.            Half and Half

1 ea.            Large Spanish Onion (diced)

5 ea.            Sprigs of Fresh Thyme

1 ea.            Bay Leaf (dried or fresh)

½ tsp.            Black Peppercorns (whole)

4 oz.            White Wine

1 T            Butter

1 ea.            Fresh Horseradish Root (finely grated)

Roux Ingredients:

(used as a thickening agent)

3 oz.            Butter

3 oz.            All Purpose Flour

Sauce Preparation:

• In large saucepan, melt 1 T butter over low heat, and sauté onions until translucent
• Add herbs and white wine, reduce until most liquid has evaporated
• Add half and half, simmer over low heat for 1 hour

Making Roux:

• In a small saute pan, melt the 3 oz. of butter over a low heat
• Stir in flour and continue stirring until the roux thickens, is beginning to turn lightly brown, and has a slightly nutty taste

• Into a new pot, strain the reduced half and half  mixture, through a sieve
• Bring to a boil and immediately add the roux, slowly, stirring continuously
• Cook on low, until the liquid has thickened
• Take off heat
• Add grated horseradish, to taste

To Serve:

• 1. Slice meat, against the grain
  2. On each plate, place some drained vegetables in the center
  3. Lay 4-5 slices of corned beef brisket over the vegetables
  4. Place a cabbage quarter next to the beef along with some red skin potatoes
  5. Drizzle horseradish sauce over the meat and around the plate
  6. ENJOY!

Recipes by Lawry’s Executive Chef Victor Newgren