Inspired by a rainy weekend and my friend Amara, I decided to make corned beef hash and cabbage for a festive St. Patrick’s Day meal. Although I did not think of it in time to brine a fresh brisket, a store-bought corned beef did the trick.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

3 lbs corned beef brisket or round (or brine your own!)
bay leaf
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 onion, diced
5 large carrots, in thick slices
6 pieces celery, coarsely chopped
(optional) 1 pound of peeled, diced potatoes
1 small head of green cabbage, cored and cut into 8 wedges

Rinse the corned beef thoroughly to remove the brine. Place the meat in a large dutch oven, then add the mustard, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and thyme to the pot. Add enough cold water to the pot to just cover the meat. Bring the water to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 3 hours.

Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and return to a simmer. (If you are adding diced potatoes, you can add them here as well.) Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add the cabbage wedges to the pot and allow to cook for an additional 20-30 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.

When the meat it tender, remove it from the pot and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the excess fat from the meat and cut into thick slices. Arrange on a platter surrounded by the cooking liquid and vegetables. If you did not include the potatoes, serve with mashed, roasted, or boiled potatoes, and spicy mustard on the side.