It’s raining again out here in LaLa land. Storm #2 of four has just blown onto shore bringing with it torrential rains, a mesocyclone (small tornado of some sort?), and winds that broke the umbrella I stole from the doorstep of an unsuspecting stranger (kharma?). But not to fret! Storm #3 (due in tomorrow evening) is supposed to be even worse.
As much as I should hate the rain, working in a restaurant that relies heavily on its enchanting patio to bring in diners (and hence, my tips), I love love love the rain! Most of all because it’s a great excuse to stay in doors and to make delightfully meaty dishes like stews and pot roasts.
But usually these things come with a high caloric price tag and the weather that encourages their production also encourages those terribly sedentary habits of mine (ie not excercizing – a New Years resolution that is not going quite as planned….). So was I surprised when the dress I tried to wiggle into on Sunday didn’t quite (read: not a chance in hell) zip all the way up? I shouldn’t have been. But when that poor unwitting shop girl came to “check in” on my friend Britney and me in the dressing room I answered, with my face buried in Britney’s small Asian bosom, that her clothes made me want to kill myself.
But it wasn’t her fault! No, it was the pot roast’s fault. The pot roast that was slow cooked in wine and broth for four hours. With celery root, and parsley root, and thyme and all the other usual suspects. And devoured with two ridiculously good bottles of California Syrah (Qupe and Sherwin Family Vineyards).
The smell was one of those insanely rich and intriguing ones that made my roommates yell incredulously as they walked through the front door, “WHAT are you making?!”. And the pot roast was devoured in one sitting. The whole thing. I reduced the braising liquid down to a syrupy sauce that was just bursting with all the flavors that had gone into it. And the meat was so tender, no knife was required. Enjoy the recipe at your own risk!
Pot Roast with Winter Vegetables
1 3 lb pot roast- appropriate cut of beef
2 tblspns olive oil
1 small celery root, roughly cubed
1 large or 2 small parsley roots, chopped into hunks
1 onion, quartered
2 large carrots, chopped into hunks
1/2 cup of dry red wine
1 ½ cup of broth (I used chicken but you can use beef or vegetable also)
1 bay leaf
3-4 sprigs thyme
½ tspn whole black peppercorns
½ tspn salt
1. Start by heating the olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot (I use my La Crouset aka the love of my life). Brown the roast on all sides.
2. Pour in the wine and scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Reduce to 1/3.
3. Pour in broth and all the vegetables, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorn, and salt.
4. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Skim off any foam that collects on the surface. Cook, covered, for three to four hours, turning the roast over half way through.
5. Once you can start shredding meat off the top of the roast with a fork, its done. Take it out of the braising liquid and keep warm. Skim off the fat and remove all the vegetables (you can eat them if you’d like!). Bring to a boil and reduce down until the sauce is almost syrupy. Pour this over the roast and serve.
