Celebrating St. Patrick's Day!
We are feeling lucky here at California Sun Dry Foods and not just because our California-grown tomatoes are planted and popping out of the soil! The impending holiday has us ready to celebrate! St. Patricks Day is happening tomorrow Saturday, March 17th and we are sharing a little history to get our followers ready for the big day!
According to History.com, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March, 17th to remember the death of St. Patrick. In Ireland, the date has been observed as a religious holiday for over one-thousand years. St. Patrick's Day also falls during Lent a Christian practice. On this day Irish families in the morning attend church, and in the afternoon they celebrate. Prohibitions against consuming meat were waived, and people would celebrate, dance, drink, and feast on the traditional meal of Irish cabbage and bacon. We have our own natural and healthy version of Corn Beef & Cabbage for you just in time for the holiday. Check out a "healthier" take on a Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe sent in by one of our followers, Cheryl Richard. Thank you so much for sharing!
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Recipe by: Cheryl Richard
Ingredients:
5 to 7 pounds uncured corned beef
1 Large Onion Chopped
3 Cloves Garlic chopped
Three tablespoons of pickling spice - put in a tea bag, tea diffuser, or cheesecloth
One teaspoon pink salt and fresh ground pepper
12 organic carrots - peeled and left whole
12 small red potatoes or yellow - washed and left whole with skins on
large organic cabbage cored and cut into wedges
Instructions:
In a large stock, pan place your corned beef, the bag of pickling spice, salt pepper, garlic and 7 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 hours. Skim off any meat residue that comes to the surface.
The first veggie you will add is your carrots once the meat has cooked for two hours. Add your carrots in whole and cook for 10 minutes. Next, add your whole potatoes after the 10 minute cooking time for the carrots. The trick here is that you want nicely cooked veggies, with a bit of crunch still in them. If you overcook the carrots and potatoes, they fall apart and won't taste as good, or look as beautiful.
Let potatoes cook in 20 minutes with the lid on. After 20 minutes the potatoes should be done, take out the corned beef and place on a cutting board. Add your cabbage wedges and cook 15 more minutes. Let your corned beef rest 10 minutes and then cut off any fat and slice thin, going against the grain. If you slice it wrong, the meat is tough. Slice it like you slice brisket.
When your cabbage is cooked, but still a lovely green color and a bit crisp, the meal is ready. We like to place two carrots, two potatoes, four slices of meat and one cabbage wedge along with some of the broth on a plate. Sprinkle with a bit of black pepper and enjoy! Happy St. Patricks Day from California Sun Dry Foods.
We hope you’re inspired you with some ideas for St. Patrick's Day — or just food for thought! When you do, we’d love for you to take a picture and share your #CaliforniaSunDry moments with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!
