My Cranberry Brisket is adapted  from Sheila Lukins  recipe for  Shaker Cranberry Brisket in her USA cookbook.  I have added wine to the recipe and I am pretty sure that Shakers don’t drink so…… I also skip the cloves and add five spice powder instead.  Either one is good.  Brisket is a tough but flavourful cut of beef that requires a long cooking time to become tender.  I love eating BBQ brisket in Texas.  Last time Chris and I took the Amtrack from Austin to Fort Worth the man we ate dinner with told us his recipe for making BBQ brisket with such love and enthusiasm.  I do not want to make my own BBQ brisket though.  For one thing I don’t own a smoker.  Secondly, It takes a REALLY long tome to do it right.  Thirdly,  I cannot imagine that I would be able to do it better than the folks in Texas do.  I’ll leave it to the experts and enjoy it once a year when I go to Texas.  This is a pretty good brisket recipe though.  I make it once a year usually around Chris’ birthday, with my leftover cranberry relish form Thanksgiving.  The cabbage recipe is from MadhurJaffrey’s Quick and Easy Indian Cooking.  It is delicious and simple, like all of the recipes from that cookbook.  I made the Parsnip and Carrot Latkes up myself.  I am very proud of this menu!

CRANBERRY BRISKET

• 4 and 1/2 pounds brisket
• black pepper
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 carrots cut in to one inch lengths
• 2 onions halved lengthwise and slivered
• 2 garlic cloves, bruised and peeled
• 2 cups cranberry relish (see on this blog- Thanksgiving entrees for herbivores and carnivores)
• salt to taste
• 3/4 cup port wine (I have also used 1/2 cup dry red wine and 1/4 cup maple syrup)
• about a teaspoon of five spice powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. rinse and totally dry the meat.
3. sprinkle the meat generously with black pepper on both sides.
4. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven until very hot.
5. Brown the meat on both sides (eight minutes each side)
6. Remove the meat to a platter and add the carrots, onion, garlic and cloves or five-spice powder.  Cook five minutes.
7. Remove from the heat.  Stir in the cranberry relish and place the meat on top. Cover and bake for 2 hours.
8. Remove the meat and thinly slice it against the grain.
9. Stir the port (or wine and maple syrup) into the pot.
10. Return the meat and all of the juices to the pot. Make sure the meat is covered by the gravy.
11. Bake uncovered for another hour and fifteen minutes, basting frequently.

SPICED CABBAGE WITH FENNEL SEEDS

• 1 and 1/2 pound green cabbage, trimmed, halved, cored  and cut into ribbons
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 Teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 medium -large onion, peeled, cut in half and then cut into fine half rings
• 1 teaspoon salt
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon home-made or store-bought gram masala

1. Heat the oil in a wide pan.  When the oil is very hot add the cumin, fennel and sesame seeds.  After a minute the seeds will begin to pop.  Add the onion as soon as the popping starts and fry until the onion has browned a bit (3-4 minutes).  Add the cabbage and stir-fry until the cabbage has started to brown (about 6 minutes).  Add the cayenne and salt, turn heat to medium low and cook another 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions are totally soft.   Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and garam masala.

PARSNIP AND CARROT LATKES

• 4 to 6 cups grated parsnips and carrots
• 1 egg beaten
• about 1/4 cup flour (gluten-free is fine)
• salt and pepper
• any sort of yummy herbs or spices that you would like to add
• oil for frying

1. mix everything but the oil together.
2. Heat some oil in a skillet until very hot.
3. Form a pancake and drop it into the oil.  Make as many as will fit in your skillet.  Turn them over after a minute or two.  They should be golden and crispy.  Cook for another few minutes and the second side.  Remove to drain on paper towels.  Repeat until you have used up all of your ingredients and have a big pile of pancakes.