Andi’s Lobby inspired beef brisket
Lobby is a meat and vegetable stew from Staffordshire. Often made with beef and whatever vegetables are cheap or in season, there are as many versions as there are cooks. Andi combines the pearl barley commonly used in Stoke-on-Trent along with slow cooked brisket and a luxurious homemade stock.
Ingredients
For the beef stock
- 500g/1lb 2oz beef bones and off cuts
- 200g/7oz onions, chopped (about 1 large onion or 2 small)
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
- 20²µ/â…”o³ú carrots, chopped
- 20²µ/â…”o³ú celery, chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- 20²µ/â…”o³ú thyme
- 20²µ/â…”o³ú rosemary
- 300ml/½ pint red wine
- 500ml/18fl oz ale, preferably from Stoke-on-Trent
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the beef brisket
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú honey
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú English mustard
- 1kg/2lb 4oz beef brisket
- 25g/1oz all-purpose seasoning
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú beef fat or dripping
For the roasted vegetables
- 250g/9oz carrots, finely chopped
- 250g/9oz onion, finely chopped
- 250g/9oz celery, finely chopped
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú swede, finely chopped
- 25g/1oz fresh thyme, leaves picked
- 25g/1oz rosemary, chopped
- 50g/1¾oz beef fat or dripping, cut into small cubes
- 25g/1oz flatleaf parsley, finely chopped, to garnish
For the crispy pearl barley
- 120²µ/4½´Ç³ú pearl barley
- 250ml/9fl oz rapeseed oil, for deep-frying
- 1 tsp all-purpose seasoning, to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
First make the stock. Season the beef bones with salt and pepper and add to a large roasting tray along with the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and herbs. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden-brown and aromatic.
In a large saucepan, add the roasted bones and vegetables along with the wine and ale. Simmer over a low heat for 1 hour. Pass through a sieve and set aside.
Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
For the beef brisket, mix together honey and mustard in a small bowl. Rub the brisket all over with the all-purpose seasoning.
Melt the beef fat in a large frying pan until hot and then sear beef on all sides. Transfer the brisket to a casserole or ovenproof pan. Brush the brisket with the honey mustard mixture. Roast, uncovered, in the oven for 15 minutes.
Add the beef stock to the brisket and cover with a lid. Cook for 2 hours, or until meltingly tender.
In the last 20 minutes of cooking the beef, start on the roasted vegetables. Put the carrot, onion, celery, swede, thyme, rosemary and beef fat in a roasting tray. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven alongside the beef until the vegetables are tender and starting to brown at the edges.
In a small saucepan, boil the pearl barley in 220ml/8 fl oz water until just tender. Drain well and spread out on a tray to cool.
Heat the oil in a wok or a deep saucepan ready to deep fry the cooled barley. The oil is ready when a cube of bread turns brown in one minute when dropped in.) CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.
Add the cooled pearl barley and fry until crisp and golden-brown. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Season with all-purpose seasoning.
To serve, top the beef with roasted vegetables, parsley and crispy barley.