Instructions: Trim and discard most of the surface fat from brisket. Rinse meat well under cool running water, rubbing gently to release its corning salt.

Lay meat, fattiest-side up, in a 2-inch-deep, 11- by 15- or 16-inch roasting pan. Thinly slice lemon (discard seeds) and onion and lay slices over meat. Sprinkle with peppercorns, allspice, and cloves.

Set pan on middle rack in a 325 degree oven. Pour about 8 cups boiling water around brisket, seal the pan with foil, and bake until meat is very tender when pierced, about 4 hours. Uncover and drain off all but about 1 cup of the liquid. If desired, reserve the lemon and onion slices and rearrange them on top of the meat.

In a small bowl, mix the mustard and brown sugar; spread evenly over meat, on top of the onion-lemon mixture. Broil about 8 inches from heat until the mustard mixture begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a platter. Serve hot, warm, or cold; slice meat across the grain.

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Comments: Irish immigrants plunked corned beef and cabbage into our culinary melting pot because it was good, cheap food. In my youth, it was also good for a chuckle in the Sunday funnies with Maggie and Jiggs. The couple had won a bundle in the lottery, but Jiggs hankered for the simple life. Wife Maggie, on the other hand, had social aspirations; she planted a silk top hat on her husbands head and banned his beloved corned beef in their mansion. Invariably, though, her moments of triumph in society were blown by Jiggss secret attempts to boil a hunk of corned beef. As its unmistakable lowbrow aroma drifted among Maggies grand guests, their noses tilted even higher, and they marched out. The last cartoon frame usually had Maggie pursuing Jiggs, flinging pans angrily and shouting something like "Wheres the (corned) beef?"

If Jiggs had just used the oven, he couldve joined Maggie and their guests and diverted their attention as his untended corned beef baked discreetly, with little bouquet but exceptionally tender results. Its a practical choice. You can bake potatoes with the beef and make a handsome red cabbage salad for a St. Patricks Day celebration fit for the classiest guest.

The weight of the meat shrinks by about half as the brisket cooks.

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