Pot Roast

I'm in the mood for something homey that I haven't made for a long time. I looked at my original pot roast recipes from a long time ago and I wanted to try to make it more sophisticated. This dish can be served with roasted veggies to be healthy but I love serving it with something creamy like mashed potatoes or polenta. I also like to serve something green and crispy with this dish since it can be quite rich. I used green beans but you could make a light salad or any other veggies of your choice.

Ingredients:

1 beef chuck roast (3 lbs)
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, roughly diced
2 ribs of celery, roughly diced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
2 cups of red wine, I suggest burgundy
2-4 cups of beef stock
3 sprigs of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage etc.
salt and pepper
olive oil

Directions:

1. Season the roast all over with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.

2. Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the dutch oven and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned.

3. Add the wine and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Allow mixture to boil for a few minutes to concentrate the flavor. Add the beef stock and fresh herbs.

4. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Reduce heat and allow to cook on the stove (or in the oven) over low heat for 2-3 hours or until meat is very tender.

5. Remove the roast to a cutting board once it is cooked. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat, and return the sauce to a simmer.

6. If you sauce isn't as thick as you'd like, place 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tbs butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings.

7. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.