1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Salt and pepper the meat and sear it on both sides in oil in a braising pot. Pour off the excess oil and remove the meat. Reserve.
3. Add the onion, garlic, herbs, seeds, chili flakes. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring so the vegetables do not burn. Remove from the pot and reserve.
4. Add both stocks and the meat to the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil and remove the impurities with a ladle as they rise to the surface. Cover the pot and place in the oven. (The liquid should be about 3-4 inches in the pot.) Let the meat cook for 3 hours turning it every hour. At the 3 1/2 hour mark add the vegetables. Continue cooking until the vegetables are done and the meat is very tender, about one hour more.
5. Remove the brisket from the pot. Strain the liquid and skim off the fat. Reduce the liquid on the stove if it is not quite concentrated enough.

Note: Sometimes if the oven is not slow enough or the cover does not fit well you might need to add a little water to the pot as you go along. The braising liquid should not dry up.

To serve

1. When the meat is cool enough to handle, trim excess fat from around the larger end. Slice the meat and lay it on a large platter. Arrange the vegetables around it and pour some of the cooking juices over the top. Serve the rest of the juices separately along with mustards, salt, horseradish and small French pickles.