Amanda A-mangia: Corned beef and cabbage
Here's a recipe for warm winter "soutvleis" the way ouma used to make it.
Corned beef is essentially beef cured in a salt brine, with some pickling spices for added flavour. It gets its name “corn” from an old English word for grain, or small pieces of hard things like rock salt (“corns of salt”) with which the meat was cured.
Corned beef features as an ingredient in many cuisines. It was popular during both World Wars, when fresh meat was rationed.
INGREDIENTS
500g corned beef
2 bay leaves
5 cloves
5 peppercorns
1 onion, quartered
3 carrots
2 stalks of celery
A sprig of fresh parsley
A head of cabbage cut into wedges
METHOD
Place the corned beef in a saucepan and cover with water. Add the spices. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for approximately 50 minutes or until tender.
Add all the vegetables except the cabbage and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add the cabbage and cook for 15 minutes more. Remove the meat and let it rest for 15 minutes. Slice the meat across the grain and serve with the vegetables of your choice.
The cooking broth or stock can be used as a base for a sauce or a soup.
