Ingredients
Serves 6
250ml (1 cup) milk
2 tbsp olive oil
1kg beef brisket
200g beef kidneys*, trimmed
1 onion, diced
1 stick of celery, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2000ml orange juice – or enough to cover
To serve:
400g heirloom orange, white or purple carrots*, washed & trimmed
750ml bottle of ginger beer
30g butter
500g pearl barley*
Method
Preparation 30 minutes (plus an extra 30 minutes to soak the kidneys)
Cooking: 6 hours
1. Place kidneys and milk in a bowl and soak for 30 minutes (this helps to remove impurities). Drain. Rinse under cold running water, pat dry with paper towel, then cut into 4cm pieces.
2. Preheat oven to 100˚C. In a casserole dish that is suitable to put in the oven heat the olive oil over a high heat. Add the beef brisket and kidneys and sear, turning, until just brown.
3. Add the chopped vegetables and stir to incorporate. Add a small amount of orange juice to the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any vegetables or meat that may have coated the pan, then add the remaining orange juice until the juice just covers the brisket. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and place in the oven to cook for 6 hours or until beef is tender.
4. Cover the pearl barley with water, add a pinch of salt, bring to the boil and cook for approx. 10 minutes, or until tender.
5. Place the carrots in a saucepan, cover with the ginger beer and cook for approx. 4-5 minutes, or until tender. Drain and return to the pan. Add the butter and season.
6. To serve: Spoon pearl barley onto the centre of the plates, spoon the beef braise over the pearl barley and serve with the carrots.
* Beef kidneys are from selected butchers. If you prefer, substitute 250g Swiss brown mushrooms.
* Heirloom carrots are available from selected greengrocers. Substitute baby (Dutch) carrots.
* Pearl barley is available from selected supermarkets and gourmet food stores.