Top Pickers

Corned Beef with Colcannon and Honey Roasted Carrots

Traditional corned beef can be made from topside, brisket, housekeeper's cut or silverside and is often now available in supermarkets or good butchers. The brisket is normally considered the best as it has a perfect fat to meat ratio.

6
Corned Beef with Colcannon and Honey Roasted Carrots
  • 1 kg/ (2 1/4oz) corned beef
  • a little sunflower oil
  • knob butter
  • 3 large carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1cm (1/ 2in) slices
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For the colcannon:

  • 900g (2lb) floury potatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 small green cabbage, thick stalks removed and shredded
  • 120ml (4fl oz) milk
  • 6 spring onions, finely chopped
  • good knob butter
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • prepared English mustard, to serve
  • 1 kg/ (2 1/4oz) corned beef
  • a little sunflower oil
  • knob butter
  • 3 large carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1cm (1/ 2in) slices
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For the colcannon:

  • 900g (2lb) floury potatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 small green cabbage, thick stalks removed and shredded
  • 120ml (4fl oz) milk
  • 6 spring onions, finely chopped
  • good knob butter
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • prepared English mustard, to serve
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Step 1

Place the corned beef in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 hours or until tender, occasionally skimming any scum that rises to the top. Leave to cool in the pan and then about half an hour before you are ready to serve, reheat gently.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F), Gas mark 6. Heat a roasting tin with the oil and butter. Add the carrots, tossing until evenly coated and season to taste. Roast for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally until golden brown. Drizzle over the honey and parsley and pop back in the oven for another 2 minutes until lightly caramelised.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make the colcannon. Cook the potatoes in a covered pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender. Five minutes before the end of cooking, add the cabbage. Warm the milk in a separate small pan with the spring onions. Drain and mash the potatoes and cabbage, then beat in the butter with the warm milk and spring onion mixture. Season to taste.

Step 4

When ready to serve, remove the string from the hot corned beef and slice against the grain. Place good dollops of the colcannon on warmed plates and arrange the corned beef alongside with the honey roasted carrots next to it. Have a small dish of English mustard on hand to pass around.

Copy Text

Step 1

Place the corned beef in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 hours or until tender, occasionally skimming any scum that rises to the top. Leave to cool in the pan and then about half an hour before you are ready to serve, reheat gently.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F), Gas mark 6. Heat a roasting tin with the oil and butter. Add the carrots, tossing until evenly coated and season to taste. Roast for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally until golden brown. Drizzle over the honey and parsley and pop back in the oven for another 2 minutes until lightly caramelised.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make the colcannon. Cook the potatoes in a covered pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender. Five minutes before the end of cooking, add the cabbage. Warm the milk in a separate small pan with the spring onions. Drain and mash the potatoes and cabbage, then beat in the butter with the warm milk and spring onion mixture. Season to taste.

Step 4

When ready to serve, remove the string from the hot corned beef and slice against the grain. Place good dollops of the colcannon on warmed plates and arrange the corned beef alongside with the honey roasted carrots next to it. Have a small dish of English mustard on hand to pass around.