Lazy Housewife's Dinner

Braised salt beef simmered in one pot with vegetables
Delicious hot or cold, be sure to serve salt beef with Hot English Mustard

A simple yet very satisfying meal

A while ago I made one of my husband’s favourite meals: salt beef and vegetables. He was away at work at the time, so I cooked it for the Creare Children who stay with me every Thursday. (you can read about them on yesterday's post) I learnt to cook this English meal, known as Lazy Housewife's Dinner, from my hubby's paternal grandmother, Nan. This dear old lady, who has long since passed on, did not spend hours in the kitchen but everything she made was tasty and very simple to prepare. Nan (by her own admission) preferred to sit in her easy chair and study form (horseracing) choosing her bets for the next race day, rather than slave in front of a hot stove!

I popped into our butchers and managed to procure a nice piece of salt beef. When I arrived home, I heated the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan and braised the salt beef on both sides. I removed the meat and I sliced two onions and fried them in the same oil. I returned the meat to the saucepan and added enough water to just cover. Then I added two large whole carrots, four to five new potatoes and a whole peeled onion. (The carrots and potatoes were washed and cooked with the skin) I added a few peppercorns and a pinch of mixed herbs. Covering the saucepan, I turned down the heat and allowed the meal to simmer gently until done. (About an hour and a half)

Serve salt beef and potroasted vegetables with tender green peas and fluffy white rice. Be sure to have a pot of Hot English Mustard on the table. No salt beef dinner is complete without mustard.

Freeze any leftover meat and use for cold meat at a later date.

As Grandma-in-law proved, this really is a Lazy Housewife’s Dinner!