New England Boiled Dinner and Spider Cake

January 20, 2021 Recipes

Today’s recipes will be different from what we have done in the past, in that they will stray away from the two cookbooks that we have been using since the start of this series. Today’s recipes come from Yankee Magazine and Kitchn, though the recipes are still very New England all the same!

Boiled dinner is a classic New England staple, warming hearts and bellies for generations! Traditionally made with corned beef and cabbage among other vegetables, this recipe will stay true to that tradition. For dessert, a classic New England spider cake will accompany the main course. Spider cake has a corn base, but it isn’t cornbread! It’s a unique creation in itself, that puts a creamy twist on that classic cornbread style.

New England Boiled Dinner – Yankee Magazine

Ingredients

4 pounds corned beef
15 peppercorns
8 whole garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
8 small beets
2 turnips, cut into pieces
16 small new potatoes, peeled
16 baby carrots
8 small white onions
1 head cabbage, cut into 8 wedge-shaped pieces

Directions

Cover beef with water and simmer 10 minutes, covered, in a large kettle. Skim off and discard the residue that forms on top of water. Add peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer 3 hours or until meat is tender.

Put beets in separate pan with a little water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.

Add turnips, potatoes, carrots, and onions to kettle with meat. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes longer.

Add cabbage and cook, covered, 15 minutes more.

Remove meat, cut into serving pieces, and place on platter surrounded with well-drained vegetables.

Spider Cake – Kitchn

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup heavy cream
Maple syrup, for serving

Directions

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Place the skillet in the oven to heat while you make the batter. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter, set aside to cool.

Place 2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar, and the melted butter in a large bowl. Whisk to blend well. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. Whisk until nearly smooth. The batter will very thin. Set it aside to rest for about 5 minutes.

Remove the hot skillet from the oven. Pour in the batter. Pour 1 cup heavy cream directly into the center. Bake until the cake is deeply golden and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan — the cake will still jiggle a bit on top and might have a few cracks along the surface — 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool slightly before slicing into wedges, or spoon warm from the pan. Either way, serve with a drizzle of maple syrup.

Note: A deep, 9-or-10-inch cake pan will also work for this recipe, though the cast iron skillet will give the cake more color.