Recipe: Ruby Glazed Corned Beef

Serves 6 to 8

Corned beef:

1 corned beef, about 3 pounds

1 large onion, peeled and halved

8 whole cloves

4 cloves garlic, peeled

2 carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks

2 ribs celery, cut in 2-inch chunks

¼ cup whole-grain mustard

Ruby Cumberland Sauce:

1 jar (12 ounces) red currant jelly

¼ cup ruby port or Madeira

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

¼ cup finely chopped shallots

1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard

¾ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Pinch salt

1. To prepare the corned beef: Place the corned beef in a large Dutch oven. Stud the onion with the cloves. Put it in the pot with the corned beef and add the garlic, carrots and celery. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off foam that rises to the top.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 2 ½ to 3 hours or until just tender.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the jelly, port, citrus zests and juice, shallots, dry mustard, ginger, pepper and salt. Place over medium-low heat and stir frequently until the jelly is melted. Remove from the heat and let stand 30 minutes.

4. When the corned beef is tender, remove from the Dutch oven and transfer to a shallow roasting pan. Spread the mustard over the top. Pour about ½ cup of the sauce over the meat and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 30 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, pour another ¼ cup of the sauce over the meat.

6. Carve the corned beef across the grain in thin slices and arrange on a platter. Spoon the remaining sauce over it and serve.

From "The New Basics Cookbook" by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins