Ingredients for Pickling Spice:
1.5 tbsp. black peppercorns
1.5 tbsp. mustard seeds
1.5 tbsp. coriander seeds
¾ tbsp. hot red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. Allspice berries
½ tbsp. ground mace
2 small cinnamon sticks (crushed)
24 bay leaves (crumbled)
½ tbsp. whole cloves
½ tbsp. ground ginger

Ingredients for Corned Beef Brine:
2 gal. water
4 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar
¼ cup pink salt
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
3 tbsp. pickling spice
9 lbs. well-marbled (first cut) beef brisket

Preparation for Pickling Spice:
Lightly toast the peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds in a small dry pan, then smash with the side of a knife just to crack them. Combine the cracked spice with the remaining ingredients, mixing well. Store in a tightly sealed plastic container or glass jar.

Preparation for Corned Beef Brine:
Combine all the brine ingredients in a pot large enough to hold the brisket comfortably. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove the pot from heat and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate the brine until it’s completely chilled.

Place the brisket in the brine and weight it down with a plate to keep it submerged. Refrigerate for 5 days.

Remove the brisket from the brine and rinse it thoroughly under cool running water. (Resting is not required here because the distribution of the brine will continue in the long, slow cooking process). Place the brisket in a pot just large enough to hold it and add enough water to cover the meat. Add the remaining pickling spice and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently for about 3 hours, or until the brisket is fork-tender (there should always be enough water to cover the brisket; replenish the water if it gets too low).

Remove the corned beef from the cooking liquid. Slice the beef and serve warm, or cool, then wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve, or for up to a week.

Ingredients for Braised Cabbage:
1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 pounds) tough outer leaves removed, quartered, stalk removed, cut into 8 wedges
1 large yellow onion (about 8 ounces) julienne, with the grain
1 large carrot, peeled cut into ¼ inch rounds
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon
12 each peeled white pearl onions
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
1 leaf fresh laurel OR 1 dry bay leaf
Kosher salt

Preparation:
Heat the oven to 325°F.  Lightly oil an oven proof baking dish (9 x13) with the 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Arrange the cabbage wedges in the baking dish in an even layer.

Place the julienne onion, peeled pearl onions and carrot on top of the cabbage wedges. Spoon the ¼ cup of olive oil over the cabbage, onions and carrots. Pour the chicken stock into the baking dish NOT over the cabbage. Season with kosher salt, coarsely ground black pepper, and the pinch of red pepper flakes.

Cover tightly with foil, shiny side up, and place into the center of the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 2 hours, checking every 30 minutes, or until the cabbage is “fork tender”. If the dish is drying out at all, add a few tablespoons of water.

When the cabbage is fully cooked, remove the foil. Turn the oven up to 425°F and brown the cabbage slightly. When the cabbage is browned, remove the dish from the oven and re-cover with the foil and let the cabbage rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

A serving is one wedge.

Ingredients for Boiled Potatoes:
1 3/4 pounds fingerling potatoes
Kosher salt
4 tbsp. butter, room temperature, unsalted
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt
Fresh coarsely ground black pepper

Preparation:
Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 4 inches. Salt the water generously, (the water should taste like the ocean). Over medium high heat bring the potatoes and water to a simmer, NOT a boil. Boiling causes the potatoes to split more easily and the outside becomes over cooked before the middle is done. Simmer the potatoes for about 20 minutes or until the tip of a paring knife is easily inserted into the potato. When the potatoes are done, drain them and place them on a cookie sheet to cool.

When the potatoes have cooled enough to handle them, gently but firmly smash the potatoes. The smashed potatoes should be approximately ¼ inch thick and the skin will have cracked exposing the white of the spud. With the potatoes still warm, place the smashed potatoes in a basic deep fryer set at 375°F. Fry the potatoes until the whites appear golden brown and they are crispy. This should only take about 3 minutes. Immediately remove the potatoes from the fryer. Let the potatoes drain for about 30 seconds, then place the hot potatoes into a bowl containing the 4 tablespoon of room temperature butter and then toss. Add the thyme leaves, salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste, toss again and serve hot.

Ingredients for Irish Soda Bread:
4 to 4 1/2  cups flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 tbsp. butter, frozen and grated on the large holes of a four sided grater, and kept frozen
1 cup raisins
1 large egg, lightly beaten, cold
1 3/4 cups buttermilk, cold

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine the 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda and sift together into a large mixing bowl.
Using your fingers, quickly coat the butter pieces with flour. When you are done the mixture should resemble course meal. Work as quickly as possible during this step as you want the butter to stay as un-melted and cold as possible. Add the raisins.
Combine the egg and the buttermilk in a bowl and whisk until combined.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add all of egg and buttermilk mixture into the center of the well.
Gently mix with one hand until stiff. Then coat both hands with flour, and gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough for dough to form. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour. Do not over work the dough, the more the dough is kneaded, the tougher the loaf will become. Remember, for this less is more. You should still be able to see small flecks of butter in the dough.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf. Again, try to handle the dough as little as possible to maintain its tenderness. It will be a little sticky and appear uneven. Remember we are not making bread, this dough will NOT be smooth; it should resemble biscuit dough. Transfer dough into 10 inch, lightly greased cast-iron skillet. Score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an "X" shape with a sharp knife by using a quick and deliberate cut.

Place in the center of a 425°F oven and bake until bread is golden and the loaf sounds hollow when flicked on the bottom. This should take approximately 40-50 minutes.