March 15, 2013

Not your everyday take on corned beef and cabbage

As general rule, while I like to consider myself a fairly adventurous eater (not quite at the "I'll try anything once", Andrew Zimmern sort of level, but certainly open to unique dining experiences), I've kept most of the vintage recipes I've posted here over the years on the less eyebrow raising side of things.

We've all seen those yesteryear monstrosities that are often mocked and snickered at in today's world. Recipes that usually involve copious amounts of mayonnaise, canned tuna, maraschino cherries, iceberg lettuce, and/or Jell-O, and I’ve preferred to usually keep things more palatable to a modern audience, sharing recipes that many people would actually (happily) want to eat.

Nothing, it seems, screams "What where they thinking" when it comes to vintage recipes quite like a motley crew of ingredients enrobed in a layer of wobbling, quivering gelatine. Not all Jell-o based dishes were science experiments gone awry, some were elegant, immensely tasty recipes that are still with us to this day. Many however, have been, for the most part, left on the cutting room floor of history.

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day this weekend, we're reviving one of those that just about got away here today: Corned Beef and Slaw Salad. On the surface, when you hear the name of this vintage recipe, you might think to yourself that sounds rather scrumptious - you invasion pieces of warm corned beef strewn through a bed of shredded cabbage or lettuce, perhaps with some boiled new potatoes tossed in for good measure.

No, no, no. I'm afraid that in this case, you'd be off the mark a fair bit. For you see, while, cabbage and corned beef - those most traditional of St. Paddy's Day dinner foods - are indeed part of this recipe - the picture shifts considerably from a meat and greens salad after that.

Instead of simply leaving those two delicious ingredients to their own devices, this creative (circa 1950s) recipe from Knor separates each and nestles it into a layer of plain gelatine, the two then being stacked one on top of the other other, left to set, and finally cut into small cubes of jellied salad.






{Calling all lovers of corned beef, cabbage, and gelatine, this salad is definitely worth adding to your St. Pat's menu this year (if only to watch your guests' expressions when you serve it them!). Image via Home Deconomics on Flickr (click here for a larger version).}



Fundamentally, this isn't an overly off-putting recipe, especially if you're a fan of aspic dishes, but if - like me - you've never really fancied the pairing of meat (or seafood) with gelatine, it might be one of those dishes that you try with more than a hint of trepidation. Ultimately though, it's neither a tricky (to make) nor a particularly bizarre dish.

Most of us have had cabbage and corned beef before, as well the other ingredients called for here (such as sweet pickle, green pepper, and celery), it's just that we're not accustomed to seeing them moulded into gelatine formed and served in wee little bricks. This isn't a dish that you present as haute cuisine, because it absolutely is not. It's fun, it's silly, it's blazingly mid-century, and it's sure to find some at least an enthusiast fan at any good sized St. Patrick's Day feast.

If, however, you simply can't bring yourself to marry these classic Irish ingredients with flavourless gelatine, fear not! You can also do as I touched on earlier in this post and simply select the ingredients you like most in this recipe to make a more traditional salad. I'd opt for green cabbage, a little romaine lettuce, some new spuds (to add to the nod to Ireland), new crop radishes (if they were in the shops already), and probably a creamy honey or grainy mustard dressing (I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!). Vegetarians and vegans can, of course, forgo the corned beef entirely, if you’re putting a modern spin on this festive dish.

For most people St. Patrick's Day is a time of fun, frolicking, drinking, and cutting loose, and there's no reason why that shouldn't apply to your March 17th menu as well. So if you're in the mood something that's a bit different, worth a smile or two, and sure to be memorable, why not serve up a square of Corned Beef and Slaw Salad?

16 comments:

  1. ha - that sounds strange but this is exactly the staff they serve as "flying buffet" on trendy events in berlin.......
    have a beautiful weekend :-)

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  2. Oh Jessica, I so love corned beef and cabbage, with carrots and potatoes. We do it the traditional way of cooking the corned beef in a pot and adding the potatoes about 30 minutes before it's done...the carrots and cabbage added the last 15 minutes. Yum, Yum, Yum!!!

    :) Hope

    P.s. That is a photo of me in my Fun Friday post :)

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  3. Corned beef and cabbage is my favorite dish! My mom makes anything we want on our birthdays and although mine is in September, we always have corned beef and cabbage. I don't know if I'd like the slaw salad version but hey, you never know till you try, right? :) I've never had a proper aspic but it's been on my "must cook" list for some time now! x

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  4. Oh boy. While I love the idea of corned beef served with some nice crunchy slaw, I can't get beyond the gelatin. I hate to say it but it reminds me of tongue or headcheese -- two staples in my house because of my Polish father. UGH! No. No. no.

    But, I am heading to my Irish Mom-in-law's (from Ireland) on Sunday for a crochet lesson and Chinese food. HA! She refuses to serve corned beef because "Real Irish in Ireland do not eat this." HA! They don't traditionally eat Chinese food either, but go figure.

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    1. Gelatinous meats are not a favourite of mine either, I completely understand. I lived in Ireland for a couple of years and did certainly see plenty of cabbage dishes, as well as some with corned beef, but I wouldn't say that the latter was especially commonplace or popular (a classic Sunday roast is much more popular there).

      It's interesting, isn't it, how some foods become stereotypical representations of certain cultures outside of their respective countries, but aren't actually traditional (or overly popular) in said locations?

      ♥ Jessica

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    2. So true! From what I know about corned beef is that it was imported to Ireland via people going back. It's really a Lower East Side, NYC concoction of Jewish fare with an Irish influence. Now beef stews, roasts and boiled meats are more like it. Ed's cousin from Ireland just told me that colcannon is traditional for Good Friday but people are eating it for St. Pat's because it's more of a traditional meal. Now if you want traditional, especially on the western side of Ireland -- salmon. Believe it or not, boiled potatoes and salmon. And let's not forget about the white and black puddings! Both of which I absolutely love! :)

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    3. Oh, I just love colcannon! But even more than I like colcannon, I adore champ (which is pretty much the same idea, however instead of using cabbage or kale, green onions/scallions a plenty are swirled through the hot, buttery mashed potatoes). I swear, I could happily eat champ by the bucketful! :)

      Very true about salmon being an integral part of Irish cuisine. When we lived in Ireland, I'd sometimes make a lovely fish pie with salmon and a mashed potato crust (a bit like a seafood take on cottage or shepherd's pie).

      Happy St. Patrick's Day, dear gal!
      ♥ Jessica

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  5. Well girlfriend I must say this was an interesting albeit admittedly and "I don't think so" for me read. I think I will stick to your suggestion at the end and go with that... just not an aspic kind of girl. But it is always interesting to read these things from times past.
    Hugs and Happy St. Patty's Day,
    Beth P
    P.S. Thanks for the input on my new painting, and you're right, she does look a little 1920-ish.

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  6. Its like a lasagna.... i am not much of a cabbage girl.
    Nor a corned beef one, so... I'll watch from a distance :)

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  7. I like my beef hot and without wiggly clear stuff,for st. patty's I make salmon and colconnon.Later in the week I'll make some corned beef and cabbage just so I can make some hash out of it.

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  8. Maybe I'm weird but I think this sounds delicious! Gelatinous meats - sounds slightly wrong yet oh so tasty :)

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    1. I think it's cool that this recipe appeals to you! I like a few wonky food combos myself, but have never been too keen on gelatinous meats. Clearly some folks are though, as recipes for such dishes have been around for centuries. If you try this recipe out, I really hope you enjoy it, dear gal.

      Happy St. Paddy's Day!!!
      ♥ Jessica

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  9. Yum - corned beef and cabbage, yucky - gelatin.

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  10. I m not a big fan of beef. Cabbage is ok. Interesting recipe.
    Have a lovely weekend Jessica :)

    http://balearaitzart.blogspot.com.au/

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  11. Oh geez, I don't know about this one! Corned beef, yes, yum. Cabbage, actually one of my fav's. In gelatin? Uhm, not so sure...
    Happy St. Patty's to you! ;-)
    -Jamie
    ChatterBlossom

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