The life of a roast

Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum. Is there anything better than that?

And is there anything better than pot roast? Pot roast is a favorite winter food. It's comfort food from childhood. Often served for Sunday dinner. And I thought I had a really good pot roast recipe . . . until I got the new Barefoot Contessa cookbook, Back to Basics.
As Ina so often says, "the volume is turned up". And this pot roast, which she calls Company Pot Roast, is pot roast with the volume turned up -- way up! It's easy to prepare and sliced with the sauce poured over, it makes a great presentation. Pot roast was always a Sunday meal -- Sunday dinner served at noon. (The only time dinner WAS served at noon.) And so, Sunday, the pot roast appeared on our dinner table -- at noon.
Monday evening, per Ina's suggestions, the pot roast sauce was served over spaghetti. With a sprinkling of Parmesan. With a salad and some crusty bread (and a glass of red wine) it made for a great dinner. Pot roast part deux!
Tuesday lunch, the two slices of leftover roast were cubed, more chicken broth added to the sauce and a sack of frozen vegetables (red peppers, snow peas, broccoli and onions), it made for a great hearty soup. With the rest of the crusty bread, it made a great lunch.

Of course, to make it pretty, a sprinkling of parsley! Pot roast, part trois!

This pot roast is so good -- but I've not made anything bad from any of Ina's cookbooks. There are still some cool days in March. Cool days call for comfort food and to me, pot roast is one of the BEST comfort foods!

Company Pot Roast
(from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)

1 (4 to 5 pound) prime boneless beef chuck roast, tied
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
Good olive oil
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)(I used a sack of baby carrots)
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks)
5 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 cups good red wine, such as Burgundy
2 T. Cognac or brandy
28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes in puree
1 cup chicken stock
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 branches fresh thyme
2 branches fresh rosemary
1 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 325.

Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 T. salt and 1 1/2 t. pepper.
Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 T. 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 min for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.

Add 2 T. olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onion, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 T. salt and 1 1/2 t. pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 t. salt and 1 t. pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender, or about 160 degrees internally. Turn the heat down to 250 after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.

Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. 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 bald 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. Place 2 T. flour and the 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. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.