Ask A South Florida Chef: Top Corned Beef And Cabbage Recipes

No longer does one have to wait until St. Patrick's Day to enjoy this classic dish. Read on for some variations of the corned beef and cabbage dish, provided by one of Miami's top chefs.

Chef Daniel Goldich
JW Marriott Miami (The Trapiche Room, La Terraza, Drake's Bar)
1109 Brickell Ave.
Miami, FL 33131
(305) 329-3500
www.marriott.com/mia-jw-marriott-miami

Chef Daniel Goldich has worked at such restaurants as the Pelagia Trattoria, the four diamond-rated Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel and the W Hotel's Diamond Head grill. His job as Executive Chef at the JW Marriott is in overseeing culinary operations for the hotel's restaurants, banquet operations and in-room dining. His recipe is for a corned beef, cabbage and orange empanada which he says, "is a perfect marriage between our British Style Pub, Drake's and the South American influence in Miami." This recipe is reminiscent of a turnover his grandmother made him after the holidays with leftover ingredients when he was a child.

Corned Beef, Cabbage & Orange Empanada with Grain Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 raw corned beef brisket, about 2 lbs.
• 1 juiced orange
• 10 whole garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. whole yellow mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
• 1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. whole coriander
• 3 1/2 cups of shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup of shredded carrot
• 1 onion, medium diced
• 24 pack pre-made empanada dough

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt
• 1 cup mayonaise
• 2 tbsp. coarse-grained Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:  

Place corned beef in large stockpot. Wash orange, with peel on, and then roll it around on the counter, pressing down to release the juice inside. Push whole cloves into the orange, scattering them randomly. Cut orange in half and gently squeeze some of the orange juice onto the corned beef and place the clove-studded orange halves in the pot. Sprinkle spices over the meat, and then add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the beef is tender – about 3 hours. After, chill the beef in the refrigerator.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally – about 5 minutes. Add shredded cabbage and saute until mixture is wilted, stirring occasionally, about another 5 minutes. Stir in small diced corned beef, add salt and pepper to taste and set it aside to cool. Place 1-2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of a dough round. Brush the edges of the circle with water and fold the round in half over the filling. Press hard along the edges to seal. Starting at one end of the pressed-down edge, fold the edge towards the middle and press down. Move your fingers over 1/2 an inch and fold the edge into the middle again. Continue around the sealed edge of the empanada and repeat to make a twisted rope effect.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees Fahrenheit. Place one or two empanadas into the fryer at a time. Cook them for about 3-4 minutes. Drain them on paper towels and serve them hot.

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Corned Beef and Tuscan Kale (Black Italian Cabbage) Risotto

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp. olive oil 
• 1/2 of a white onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 oz. of cooked corned beef 
• 2 cups Tuscan kale
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 tsp. celery seed
• 1 cup of Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Directions:

Add the broth to a small pot and bring to a simmer. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil and add the white onion and garlic over medium heat. Cook until soft and it is just starting to color. Add the corned beef, carrot and cabbage and cook until the cabbage starts to get a little color, about 5-7 minutes. Add the rice and celery seed and stir to coat in oil. Cook for about a minute.

Add the wine and stir until absorbed. Start adding broth by the 1/2 cup and stir occasionally. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the risotto at a strong simmer/weak boil. With the last addition of broth, add the butter and mix until it is incorporated. Finish with grated Swiss cheese and mustard.

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Eric L Labrador is a freelance writer covering all things Miami. His work can be found on Examiner.com.