Keep your corned beef tender and more culinary questions

Q: I like corned beef and cabbage, and I thought I would make some this year for St. Patrick's Day. But I have had other people's corned beef and cabbage, and to be honest, it was tough. What do I need to do to make sure that it is tender?

– Fred R., Bristol, Va.

A: The cut of beef used for corned beef is a tougher cut so you have to cook it a long time and cut against the grain of the beef. Try this recipe:

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

4 pounds lean raw corned beef brisket

3 tablespoons pickling spice (often included with brisket)

1 medium rutabaga, halved and cut into wedges

1 pound large carrots, cut into 4-inch pieces

1 1/4 pounds large fingerling potatoes or new potatoes

1 leek, white and light-green parts only, cut into 3-inch pieces

1/2 head green cabbage, cut into wedges

Place the corned beef in a large slow cooker and scatter the pickling spices on top. Layer the ru-tabaga, carrots, potatoes and leek in the cooker (in this order for even cooking).

Add enough hot water (4 to 5 cups) to cover the meat by at least 1 inch, put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high, 7 to 8 hours.

Remove the meat and vegetables from the slow cooker and keep warm.

Put the cabbage in a microwave-safe dish with 2 cups cooking liquid from the slow cooker, cover and microwave until tender, 7 to 10 minutes.

Slice the corned beef against the grain and serve with the slow-cooked vegetables and cabbage.

Serve with mustard and Irish Soda Bread (recipe follows).

IRISH SODA BREAD

2 cups whole-wheat flour

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle with a little flour.

Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk.

Using one hand, stir in full circles (starting in the center of the bowl working toward the outside of the bowl) until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky.

When it all comes together, in a matter of seconds, turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Clean dough off your hand.

Pat and roll the dough gently with floured hands, just enough to tidy it up and give it a round shape. Flip over and flatten slightly to about 2 inches. Transfer the loaf to the prepared baking sheet. Mark with a deep cross using a serrated knife and prick each of the four quadrants.

Bake the bread for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue to bake until the loaf is brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped, 30 to 35 minutes more. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let cool for about 30 minutes.

Q: I love to grill, but with all this snow outside, I was wondering if you had any good recipes that I could do with my pan grill that I have.
– John D., Bristol, Va.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH A SPICY RUB

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Pinch cayenne powder

4 (6-ounce) fish fillets or boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Canola oil

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Combine all the spices in a small bowl to make a rub. Brush both sides of fish fillets or chicken breasts with oil. Rub one side of the fish fillets or chicken breasts with the rub, and grill, rub side down, until golden brown and a crust has formed, about 4 minutes. Flip over and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes.

Q: Are roasted and/or toasted nuts as nutritious as raw nuts?

– Sara M., Kingsport, Tenn.

A: Most times when you cook anything you lose the vitamins in the food. Also, the peels and skins of most vegetables contain a lot of the nutrients.

In nuts though, you usually don't eat the skins, of course. So to answer the question, it depends how long you roast or toast them – because heat does diminish some nutrients.

Q: I would like to invest in a good set of kitchen knives. What brand/brands do you recom-mend?
– Mary H., Watauga, Tenn.

A: A couple things you need to look for when buying a good knife is that it is made out of high carbon stainless steel – this is a composite metal that takes the best of other metals and makes another metal out of it.

It takes the feature from the carbon, which is the easeablity of sharpening the blade, and the non-rusting feature from the stainless steel. The stainless steel also holds the blade longer than just straight carbon steel. As far as brands go, there are many to choose from.

Another important feature to look for is that the knife should be fully tanged. This means that the blade/metal is one piece from the tip to the very end of the handle. This gives you good balance and sturdiness when using the knife.

Also, another feature I like is the plastic/rubber handles. I like this because it can be washed in the dishwasher, which guarantees proper sanitizing. If you were to put a wooden handle in the dishwasher, it would eventually expand and contract, and the handle would become loose.

As far as the brand of knife I like to purchase, there are two main ones. They are Wusthof Trident or J.A. Henckles, both made in Germany.

These come with all the features I mention. These knives can be very expensive, though. At the college, we use a knife set from Canada Cutlery that is made with the same features as the Wusthof and J.A. Henckles but much more affordable.

Stirred by a culinary question? "Ask the Chef" by e-mail chefrke2@aol.com, visit www.tricityhospitality.com or write Chef Richard Erskine at Southeast Culinary & Hospitality College, 100 Piedmont St., Bristol, VA 24201. Include your name and hometown for publication. A phone number which will not be published should be included for clarification purposes.