Silverside (corned beef)

I never learned to eat corned beef til I came to NZ--I'd only seen the stuff in a can (which is vile, don't try it). In NZ and Australia it's a common Sunday roast, one of our cheapest cuts of meat, and not served with cabbage, so all in all I'm a fan. It's also really, really simple to cook. Just to be clear though, no meat from a can (on that point, does anyone else remember the year or so that Jamie was obsessed with Spam?). In NZ we usually buy silverside, which according to wikipedia is a round cut, but you can also buy brisket corned beef. It should be in the beef section at your supermarket (you all probably know all this, I just didn't)

To cook it, take it out of the plastic and rinse well. Put the beef into a large pot and fill most of the way with water. Add:

1/2 cup vinegar (white, white wine, brown, or apple cider all work well)
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 TBSP whole cloves
3 TBSP whole peppercorns
3 Bay leaves

If needed, add more water to fill the pot. You want to cover as much of the meat as possible. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 2-3 hours.

You can cook this for as long as you like, the longer it simmers, the more tender it will be. It will be salty from the brining, so don't add any salt.

In NZ and Oz it's usually served with mashed potatoes and some sort of green vegetable--broccoli is nice. You don't need to do a gravy, it will stay very moist, but a lot of people here serve it with a simple cheese sauce. I like cooking this because it's easy, and because it makes my house smell good.