Based on a classic meat dish, one that most countries have some version of, this is essentially a rich meaty broth with vegetables and barley, with the brisket served separately and eaten with fresh crusty bread and pickles. Brisket is a fantastic cut of beef, best suited to cooking in this manner, and often overlooked or, at the very least, misused. We would would usually serve with mustard and gherkins but have replaced them with piccalilli for a change.
Place the meat in the bottom of a large saucepan and fill to 3/4 with cold water. Add a good pinch of salt. Bring to a slow simmer and skim off any scum that rises to the top. Do this for this ten minutes until the surface of the broth is all but clear.
Once there is very little sediment on the top (there will always be some, it is just loose fragments of protein rising) add the vegetables with the herbs and garlic. They don't go in at the beginning as it much harder to skim a pot that has loads of bits floating in it.
Place a lid on, but at a scanty angle to allow steam to escape, and turn the heat down low. The surface of the liquid should only just be moving.
After 1 hour, add the barley to the pot.
After 2 hours, when the meat is tender (it will be quite solid; that's the nature of brisket), lift it from the broth and set on a board to rest.
The meat can be served hot or cold; there will likely be enough to do both. The joy of this dish is the cut and come again aspect of it.
The broth is usually served alone, with the vegetables lifted out and served with the meat. We prefer to keep them in and serve this way.
Slice the meat thinly, season the broth with plenty of salt and pepper, and serve everything all together for people to dig in.
4 servings
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.