Corned beef and cabbage has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day in the United States. This combo has become so ubiquitous, in fact, that even those of us who know it is not authentically Irish set aside our prejudices and join in on the fun.
Whether slowly braised in the oven, brought to bubbling goodness on top of the stove, or thrown into your new electric pressure cooker, cooking a big slab of corned beef usually means there will be leftovers. And that’s never a bad thing. But since you can get a corned beef-on-rye sandwich at any deli on any day of the year, I’ll take a radical turn and use that juicy leftover corned beef as a filling for soft tacos. Yes, tacos. Think of it as Irish Fusion Cuisine. Or whatever.
For the requisite crunch, I’ll add thinly sliced ribbons of fresh green cabbage. Farm-fresh cabbage is inherently sweet, moist, and tender—unlike the odiferous, tough old heads you may find at the supermarket. (Or perhaps worse yet, the dry, flavorless pre-shredded stuff that comes in a cellophane bag.) A zesty horseradish dressing drizzled over the top, garnished with sliced chiles and cilantro, completes the perfect mouthful.
Casual meals like this demand little of the host. To make my job even easier, I’ll simply lay out all of the ingredients and let my family or friends assemble their own tacos. These are so messy-good you may want to just skip the traditional dinner and serve Corned Beef & Cabbage Tacos on Sunday, March 17. Hey, this is California! And your children will probably thank you.
The only decision that remains is whether the accompanying adult beverage should be a pint of Guinness or a Mexican beer. (Hint: There’s no wrong answer.) Slainte!
Corned Beef & Cabbage Tacos
One (1 to 1 1/2-pound) chunk of cooked corned beef
4 cups finely shredded green cabbage
2 carrots, shredded
1 large green onion (scallion), thinly sliced
8 (8-inch) whole wheat or white flour tortillas, warmed
For garnish:
Thinly sliced jalapeno or serrano chile peppers
Small cilantro sprigs
Horseradish Crema (recipe follows)
Lime wedges
- In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, warm the corned beef in its cooking liquid over medium heat, covered, until heated through. Alternatively, microwave, or wrap securely in foil and warm in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-size pieces. You should have at least 3 cups.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots, and green onion.
- To assemble each soft taco: Lay a warm tortilla flat on a dinner plate and add about 1/3 cup of warm shredded corned beef to the center. Top with about 1/2 cup of the cabbage mixture and drizzle with Horseradish Crema. Garnish as desired with chiles, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Fold in half and eat out of hand.
Horseradish Crema
1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
1/4 cup prepared white horseradish
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
In a small bowl, stir together all of the ingredients until well blended. Use at once, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Cook’s Tips
There are numerous types of cabbage; but this recipe employs the common green head variety that is so prevalent right now. Red head cabbage is ideal for long, slow braising with bacon and red wine, fresh apples or pears, or raisins or other dried fruits. Savoy cabbage has long, thin, crinkly pale green leaves that are loosely layered on the head. Its exceptionally mild flavor makes it a European favorite. Asian varieties are ideal for stir-frying.
When young and fresh, cruciferous cabbage is sweet, mild, and delicious. It’s also high in fiber, Vitamin C, and many antioxidants.
Cabbage Arithmetic: 1 small (2 pound) cabbage, cored, makes about 8 cups of shredded cabbage.
To warm the tortillas, place 4 on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30-second bursts until heated through. Repeat with the remaining 4 tortillas. Alternatively, stack 4 tortillas in each of 2 packets of aluminum foil; crimp the edges to seal. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and warm until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.
When feeding a crowd, serving the Horseradish Crema from an inexpensive plastic squeeze bottle will facilitate service. (You may need to cut the tip of the bottle with scissors to make a larger opening, so the crema will flow more easily.)
If you’re not a fan of soft tacos, tuck the ingredients inside crispy corn tortilla shells.
Instead of—or in addition to—using corned beef in the filling, coarsely chop leftover boiled or steamed potatoes. Season well with salt and pepper and sauté in California olive oil until nicely browned on the outside and heated through. When serving potato tacos, you may also want to pass prepared salsa at the table.
When the corned beef is long gone and you’re still craving these tacos, substitute grilled or roasted salmon.
The Horseradish Crema is enough “dressing” for me; but if you prefer, toss the cabbage with a mustardy vinaigrette or a more traditional coleslaw dressing before adding to the tacos.
The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad & Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.org. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well!
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