ScouseLob - Day 1 and Day 2

There are actually quite a few recipes for 'Lobby' as it was known in our house. Its amazing what you get when you google ScouseLob - its where the term Scousers (meaning Liverpudlians comes from).  The history of it is too much to go into here but it is interesting.

All I did for this one was use diced lamb (HeartSmart of course), but gravy beef or skirt which are all cuts suitable for long slow cooking are just as good. Tradionally it was left over meat and whatever veggies you had to hand.
This is Day 1 (8th April)

Antipodean ScouseLob

Half a kilo of meat  - Lamb or Beef - cut in chunks
3 or 4 large potatoes - some chopped small and some chunky (after the long slow cooking the smaller tatties will break down to thicken the gravy
2 large onions - chopped not too fine and not too big
3 carrots - prepared the same way as tatties
1 small swede  "         "        "     "    "     "
Sweet potato - I used half of a gold one. prepared as above (Not traditional I know before the purists jump on me)
olive oil (personal preference) Use your normal method of browning meat
Salt and pepper
Rosemary
parsley
Chopped up celery leaves (These have a taste similar to Parsley, a bit peppery) Optional.
Worcestershire sauce (Again - same comment as for the sweet potato)
Vegetable or lamb stock, I made enough up (Shop-bought liquid stock and added water)

Brown the meat in a large pan with a little oil

Add onions and gently cook till soft, add the chopped veggies and cook for a few mins, do not let burn, keep stirring.
Add the seasonings. herbs, worcestershire sauce and the stock. There should be enough stock to cover everything in pan.

Bring to boil, put the lid on pan and turn down the heat to lowest setting. It should just be simmering gently.
It should have at least 2 hours cooking time, Stir occassionally to check it isn't sticking to bottom of pan.
The constistancy should be thick and sludgy (sounds disgusting) but that is personal preference and it could be more souply if you like (Don't think thats a real word but I like it).  Mine cooked for 3 and half hours, with the lid off and the heat turned up slightly for the last half hour.  Serve with fresh crusty bread and pickled red cabbage.

Tradionally (well in our family) the meal was added to each day, more potaties, more carrots etc. It certainly tastes better 24 hours after cooking. The remains usually ended up being put into pies.

I think a lot of  Northern regional areas had their own versions.  Some say it had to be lamb others say Beef.
I wouldn't put anything other than the stated veggies in it. Definately not celery (apart from the chopped leaves and that is my own preference), definately no garlic (Boy, was that hard not to use - I stick in everything), no capsicums or zuchinni. 

Now it has Welsh connections, Lancashire and Liverpudlian as well and since I have found out I have both Welsh and Liverpool Ancestors as well as the Lancashire ones its definately 'an old family recipe'.


DAY 2 (9th April)

Half a pan left - Added more celery leaves, 2 more potatoes and an oxo cube. There a few pieces of meat left so they should break up even more to flavour everything.

Enjoy