2-1/2 cups sweet vermouth or apple juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 dry bay leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 beef brisket (about 4 pounds), trimmed of fat
1/4 cup cornstarch blended with 1/4 cup cold water (if serving meat hot)
In a large glass baking dish, combine vermouth, soy sauce, oil, bay leaves, garlic, onion, ginger and pepper; mix lightly. Add brisket; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate, turning meat occasionally, until next day.
Leave meat in marinade and bake, covered, in a 350*F (175*C) oven until tender when pierced, about 3 hours. Transfer meat to a serving dish. Skim and discard fat from pan juices; discard bay leaves.
To serve brisket hot, stir cornstarch mixture into pan juices. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened; offer sauce to spoon over individual servings.
To serve brisket cold, omit cornstarch mixture. Return meat to pan juices and let cool; then cover and refrigerate until cold or for up to 2 days. Lift our meat and cut across the grain into thin slices.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.