Jiggs Dinner

Ingredients

• 900 gsalt beef (cured brisket), must be soaked overnight to remove excess salt
• yellow split peas, approx 1 cup; soaked overnight, cooked in cheesecloth bag for pease pudding
• 1 headcabbage
• 6carrots
• 1 largeturnip
• 8potatoes, unpeeled or peeled
• 3 tbspbutter, for mashing into the pease pudding
• black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1

   The night before: break the salt beef into large chunks and soak in cold water for at least 8–10 hours to draw out the salt. In a separate bowl, soak the split peas in cold water overnight.

2. 2

   Drain the salt beef and transfer to a large stockpot. Cover with at least 6–7 litres of fresh cold water. Drain the split peas and place them in a double layer of cheesecloth, tied securely with string to leave room for expansion. Submerge the bag in the pot, tying the string to a pot handle.

3. 3

   Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 2 hours.

4. 4

   Remove the pease pudding bag and squeeze the contents into a bowl. Mash with butter and black pepper to taste. Set aside and keep warm.

5. 5

   Add the whole cabbage (or quartered) to the pot and boil for 20 minutes. Then add the turnip, carrots and potatoes and continue boiling for a further 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.

6. 6

   Remove the salt beef and vegetables and arrange on a large platter. Serve with the pease pudding and the cooking liquid either ladled over as pot liquor or reduced to a thin gravy.