Memories and Moments by GrannyJo

DO YOU REMEMBER?

MAGGIE

JIGGS

It's hard to believe, but there are those older than I am who remember Maggie & Jiggs, originally created by George McManus, from the "Bringing Up Father" comic strip--I think the first ones came out around 1913. They were among the first battling married couples to draw the attention of the nation, and were also among the first rags to riches (by a lottery ticket) to put stars in the eyes of the less lucky citizens of our world.

My biggest memory of the couple though was the difference in how they approached their newfound wealth. Maggie was the snooty society climber and Jiggs just wanted to hang with his old friends and eat -- yes, you guessed it -- CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE! 8-)

In the young years of my life in a family of Mediterranean extraction, Dad would sit with me in his big stretch lounge chair on a Sunday morning after church and read me all the comics. His favorite was "Bringing Up Father" or "Maggie and Jiggs" as most folks called it. I remember the strips that showed their 'cook' putting together a big steaming pot of Corned Beef and Cabbage, and I'd always ask, "What IS that, Daddy?" He'd laugh and say, "That's how the Irish people make Spaghetti & Meatballs!" I'd laugh, too, but it didn't make sense to me!

I never did get to know what it was until long after I was married. You see, the only delies in our area were Italian. In fact, it was on our first visit to Las Vegas that Rich and I were introduced to Corned Beef and Pastrami on rye and Kosher dill pickles, or the delicious REUBEN! Just a couple of years before we moved to Las Vegas, corned beef started making its appearance in the meat departments of our stores in the east, and that was when we started to put together our version of the delicacy made by the cook in "Maggie and Jiggs". I've got a pot going in the kitchen for tonight, right now--and I want to share the recipe with you.

There are a lot of ways to put together Corned Beef and Cabbage. Some folks shred the cabbage and cut the veggies in smaller pieces. For years, we always made a boiled beef dinner, which featured chuck roast, whole potatoes, carrots, wedges of onions, celery chunks and wedges of cabbage. We'd serve the beef broth with short and wide noodles that we made ourself as a soup and the rest as a plate dinner. That was my mom's creation and we still love it today. Of course, that was the basis for my variation on Jiggs's favorite dish. Enjoy!

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
(serves 4 or 5)

COVER 3 TO 5 LB FLAT CUT CORNED BEEF, SPRINKLED WITH SEASONING
PACKET, WITH WATER, BRING TO BOIL, LOWER HEAT

SIMMER COVERED FOR SEVERAL HOURS, MEANWHILE

PREPARE VEGETABLES, COVER WITH COLD WATER AND SET ASIDE
4 MEDIUM POTATOES, PEELED AND HALVED
3 CARROTS, SCRUBBED AND CUT IN FOURTHS
1 LARGE ONION CUT IN 4 OR 5 PIECES
(2 PARSNIPS, CUT IN THIRDS 2 TURNIPS, QUARTERED
OPTIONAL)

CORE 1 WHITE CABBAGE, CUT IN SIXTHS, DON'T SOAK WITH
OTHER VEGETABLES

REMOVE CORNED BEEF FROM POT AND PLACE IN BAKING PAN POUR 1 C LIQUID FROM POT OVER BEEF
COVER AND BAKE IN 325 OVEN 2 OR 3 HOURS(DEPENDING ON SIZE)
UNTIL BEEF IS VERY TENDER THEN COVER & SET ASIDE

BRING LIQUID IN POT TO A BOIL, ONE HOUR BEFORE SERVING TIME

DRAIN WATER FROM THE VEGETABLES

ADD ALL VEGETABLES EXCEPT CABBAGE TO BOILING LIQUID
SIMMER IN COVERED POT FOR 30 MINUTES

ADD CABBAGE WEDGES AND COOK 30 MINUTES MORE

SLICE BEEF VERY THINLY AGAINST THE GRAIN

ARRANGE BEEF & VEGETABLES ON A LARGE PLATTER

SERVE WITH CATSUP, HORSERADISH, AND THE BROTH ON THE SIDE

We also serve pickled beets--either out of a can or made with fresh small peeled beets, boiled until tender, and pickled with a few garlic cloves, a couple of clove stars, salt and apple cider vinegar. These can be made several days ahead.

HAPPY MEDITERRANEAN IRISH DAY!