I have had numberous bookkeepers and business owners (used to being able to choose or enter an account code) complain that can be extremely slow if the expenditure being allocated is not in the usual...
Have you tried typing the account number? I don't have access to Essentials at the moment, however my reconciliation is that Essentials searches on bath the account name and number at the same time.
Therefore if you know the account you want is a liability typing 2- would start listing all the liability accounts.
Regards,
AlanT