Tasty Tuesdays!

TASTY TUESDAYS!

This week's recipe is one of my absolute favorites. I may have even posted it before. My sister got this recipe from the Food Network chef Giada Di Laurentiis. She made it one night, and told me, "You have GOT to try this right away!" It is so delicious, homey and comforting, and actually very inexpensive. My kids love it so much, they have asked me to make it for Christmas Eve dinner with Dave's family this year. So, here it is. It's pot roast. It's simply amazing. It will make you squeal with delight. But only if you serve it with mashed potatoes. Really, I mean it. Oh, and you can eliminate the mushrooms if you want. I always do. But don't eliminate the wine. I repeat, do not eliminate the wine. It imparts a flavor that you just can't get without using it. Just buy yourself some two-buck-chuck over at Trader Joe's, and let the remainder of the bottle just sit in the back of your fridge until you make a big pot of spaghetti sauce or a beef stew. It goes great in either of those!

Giada's Straccoto

1 (4-pound) boneless beef chuck roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1 3/4 cups canned beef broth
1/2-ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 large sprig fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish (I have substituted dried)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy 6-quart roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total cooking time. Transfer the beef to a bowl. Add remaining tablespoon oil to the pan, add the onions and saute until tender, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the wine and boil 1 minute. Stir in the broth and mushrooms. Return the beef to the pan. Bring the liquids to a boil. Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise until the beef is fork-tender, turning the beef over halfway through cooking, about 3 hours.

Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Tent the beef with foil and let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, spoon any excess fat off the top of the pan juices. Transfer the pan juices and vegetables to a blender and puree until smooth. Combine the sauce and rosemary sprig in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Cut the beef across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the sliced beef on a platter and garnish with rosemary. Spoon the sauce over and serve, passing the remaining sauce in a sauce boat.