Pride Dinner 2018

Saturday June 16^th is the 4th annual Pride Celebration in my suburb-city of Saint Charles. I was honored to help them with the first one a few years ago and it has a special place in my heart. Our Pride Meal is a Crispy Corned Beef. Served with roasted Brussels Sprouts and some carrots & onion.

This slow cooker meal will produce a nice piece of meat with a tasty crust! What a wonderful way to celebrate our Pride!

Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs corned beef, with packet
• 1 cup chicken broth, less depending on size of slow cooker
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tbs brown sugar
• 2 Tbs cider vinegar
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

Wipe out the cooker and spray with cooking spray. ALWAYS do this.

Open beef, save packet, drain liquid, rinse and pat dry. Add corned beef, fat side up, to the slow cooker.

In small bowl, mix the minced garlic, spice packet, sugar & pepper. Rub this into the top of the meat.

Add the vinegar and bay leaf on the side of the corned beef and add just enough broth to come up to only about 25% of the way to the top of the meat.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

Place under a broiler (6-7 inches away) for 1-2 minutes.

If you check about half way through and find it submerged in liquid, ladle it out to return to right amount. Sometimes the meat packer has pumped the meat with a water solution before packaging.

 

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The Sides:

Ingredients:

1 lbs fresh Brussels sprouts
1 orange
¼ cup maple syrup
Kosher salt
olive oil

Directions:
Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees. 
 

Rinse the fresh vegetables in a vinegar bath. (About ½ cup white vinegar to a large bowl of luke warm water). Let them soak for about 5 minutes. 
 
Line two baking pans with foil and pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of each.
 

Rinse off the sprouts, remove any spotted outer leaves and cut as much of the stem off as possible. Then cut each length-wise. Place the cut side down in one of the pans.
When all are cut, sprinkle with kosher salt.


Now with a “zester”, zest about 2 tablespoons of just the bright orange skin over the top of the sprouts. Avoid any of the white part. If you just used the juice of the orange, it might turn bitter, however the skin has the orange oil which is sweet. You will be able to smell the aroma as you work.
Now carefully drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top. 

Do the same with the maple syrup. Cover the end of the bottle with your finger so that only a small amount comes out at a time. Be sure to wipe off the bottle with a damp paper towel so you will be able to open it the next time.

Place in the 400 degree oven to roast for about 30 minutes. Or until you start to see bits of brown on the outsides. The sprouts will be crispy on the outside and golden and caramelized on the cut sides. 

 

Many cooks forget that this vegetable creates a natural gas that can cause bitterness and thus earn its bad taste reputation. When they are cut and roasted with a touch of something sweet, this gas dissipates leaving a wonderful aroma and taste that will draw the family to the table.
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Garlic Roasted Carrots and Onions

Ingredients

• 1 lbs. carrots
• 1 red onion cut into 8 wedges
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

Oven has preheated to 400

Peel the carrots and cut into 2 inch lengths

Cut the onion into wedges.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Add carrots and onions and toss to combine.

Place carrots and onions into the second baking dish.

Roast in the oven, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes; until carrots are tender.

Both vegetables should be ready at the same time.

Switch the oven to broiler.

Carefully remove the brisket from the slow cooker to a foil lined pan with a rack.

Slide under the broiler for 3 – 4 minutes to make a nice crust on the meat.

Cut into big slices against the grain.

If you like: make a simple glaze:

½ cup honey

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons stone ground mustard

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Mix together in a small sauce pan and heat until well blended. Serve on the side.

What a meal for Pride!
For our music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvSmyq8MhIQ


So proud to be my Master's slave!

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via @amazon

 

Happy Pride!