As Promised

So even though it was Monday, last night I made a recipe from my new Sunday Roasts cookbook.  I just love shaking things up.  Don't you?

Also, as it turned out, it was a good night to be ambitious.  Kate had a major paper due on Tuesday so she didn't go to tennis.  That means that I didn't have to go to tennis either.  (As an aside, despite having a driver's license, Kate often "doesn't feel like" driving and so I am drafted.)  It was a good night to embark on a long haul cooking project.

I decided that the best approach to this cookbook was to start small with the Old Fashioned Pot Roast and Vegetables with Extra Rich Pan Gravy.  It wasn't a difficult recipe, in fact it was pretty simple, but it certainly wasn't something I could have whipped up in half an hour.   Did I mention that it had to cook for 2 1/2 hours?

Three hours later, including prep, we had a delicious pot roast with the promised extra rich pan gravy.  I made mashed potatoes to go with it and we had a feast.  I felt pretty festive, especially for a Monday night.

Recipe:  Old Fashioned Pot Roast and Vegetables with Extra Rich Pan Gravy
Sunday Roasts by Betty Rosbottom, 2011

Ingredients:


1 boneless chuck roast, 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 pounds
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups halved and sliced onion
1 cup finely diced carrot
3/4 cup finely diced celery
3 large garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
3 bay leaves, broken in half
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
3 cups reduced sodium beef broth
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions:


Arrange the rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350.

Pat the roast dry with paper towels.  Combine rosemary, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and rub on all sides of the roast.  In a deep-sided, oven proof pot (with a lid) set over medium, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.  When hot, add the meat and brown well on all sides, for about 5 minutes.  Remove the roast and set aside.

In the same pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon  oil until hot over medium heat, and then add the carrots, onion, and celery.  Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, for 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more.  Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, broth, wine, and orange juice and bring the mixture to a simmer.  Return the meat to the pot; cover and roast in the oven until the meat is fork tender, basting every 30 to 40 minutes with pan juices, about 2 1/2 hours.

Remove the roast to a serving platter and cover loosely with foil.  Remove and discard the bay leaves.  Skim off any fat and discard.  With a slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of the vegetables in the pot and puree in a food processor or blender.  Return the pureed vegetables to the pot, and place it over high heat.  Reduce the liquids by a third.

To serve, cut the roast into slices 1/4 inch thick and serve topped with the pan sauce and a sprinkle of parsley.