Fruit Glazed Corned Beef and Lemon Pepper Roasted Cabbage

Corned beef and cabbage is one of those dishes that I enjoy having only once or twice a year. It's actually one of those meals that I love because of it's leftovers. Reuben sandwiches ...mmm... Stay tuned in the near future for this years take on a Reuben. There are other foods that I prefer the leftovers rather than the original meal. Turkey, specifically on Thanksgiving. I'd much rather a turkey club sandwich (with leftover mashed potatoes on it), than the turkey itself.

I sort of forgot to take a decent picture, so this is what we have to work with. I found a recipe for a fruit glazed corned beef which sounded delicious. (And it was!) Along with that we have a Lemon Pepper Roasted Cabbage, Garlic Smashed Potatoes with Peas, Sauteed Carrots, and Irish Soda Bread. Now I know some people like to stick with food traditions, and might think that fruity corned beef is a little too fancy schmancy sounding, but I promise you it's not. It's really not all that different tasting, not all that non-traditional. Although the corned beef is constantly being cooked in the fruit, it only gives the meat a subtle citrus flavor which is very welcoming.

Keeping in theme, the roasted cabbage with a lemon pepper seasoning is delicious. By roasting it, the cabbage stays wonderfully light and crunchy.

I really enjoyed this version of this very popular Irish dish and I think you will too!

Fruit Glazed Corned Beef
Printable Recipe
by Dunkin Cooking the Semi-Homemade Way Recipes

Corned Beef:

• 4-5 Lbs. Corned Beef (with pickling packet)
• 2 bottles of beer
  
• 1 large lemon
  
• 1 large orange
• 1 large onion, quartered
  

Glaze:

• 1 cup brown sugar
  
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 cup apple juice
  
• 1 cup orange juice
  
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
  

1. Place the meat into a large soup pot, add the beer and enough water to cover the meat.
2. Add the onion and pickling packet to the pot , cut the fruit and squeeze the juice into the water then place the fruit halves into the water also.
   
3. Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 4 hours, when done take the lid off and let the meat cool off in the cooking liquid, about 1 hour.
   
4. Take the meat out of the cooking liquid and place into a baking dish, top the meat with the brown sugar.
   
5. In a bowl mix the remaining ingredients and pour around the meat. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour basting every 10-15 minutes.

Lemon Pepper Roasted Cabbage
Printable Recipe
by Kacey's Kitchen

• green cabbage
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  
• plenty of freshly ground pepper
• sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover baking sheet with tin foil for easy clean up, spray with non-stick spray or lightly coat with olive oil.
2. Slice cabbage into wedges, removing core and stem. Place cabbage on baking sheet in a single layer.
3. Whisk olive oil and lemon juice together. Generously brush each wedge of cabbage. Season with plenty of salt and pepper.
4. Carefully turn wedges over and repeat oiling and seasoning.
5. Roast cabbage for approximately 15-20 minutes until bottom of cabbage starts to brown. Carefully turn each wedge and continue roasting another 15 minutes or until lightly browned.