JIM AND LAKESHA ROSE’S POT ROAST*

INGREDIENTS

1 4- 5 lb. prime boneless beef chuck roast, tied Kosher salt and pepper, to taste Flour, enough to lightly coat roast

2 tbsps. olive oil

1 ½ tbsps. Kosher salt

2 ½ tsps. black pepper, freshly ground

2 cups carrots, chopped

2 cups yellow onions, chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

2 cups leeks ( stalk and bulb), chopped

5 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 cups of red wine ( Burgundy is good)

2 tbsps. cognac or brandy

1 2- ounce can whole plum tomatoes, pureed

1 cup chicken stock ( homemade recom mended)

1 chicken bouillon cube

3 fresh branches Thyme

3 fresh branches Rosemary

2 tbsps. flour

1 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse roast and pat dry with paper towel. Season entire roast with salt and pepper to taste, then gently roll in flour until lightly coated, including the ends. Set aside. In large Dutch oven heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil at medium temperature. Add roast and sear 4- 5 minutes on all sides. Remove roast and place aside. Clean Dutch oven and add 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Add carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 tbsp. salt and 1 ½ tsps. pepper. Cook at medium heat 10- 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender, but not browned. Add wine and cognac and bring to a boil. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 tsps. salt and 1 tsp. pepper to the above ingredients. Tie thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to Dutch oven. Place roast back in Dutch oven, bring to a boil, then cover. Place in oven and cook at 325 degrees for 2 ½ hours. Turn temperature down to 250 after an hour. Let sauce simmer. Meat should enough for a fork to glide through. If you use a cooking thermometer temperature should read 160 degrees. Transfer roast to carving board. Trim fat if desired. Discard thyme and rosemary bundle. Skim fat off of sauce in Dutch oven. Transfer half of mixture to blender or food processor to puree. Pour puree back into original pot, place on stove burner and simmer on low heat. In a small bowl place 2 tbsps. flour, add butter, mash together with fork, then blend into simmering sauce. Continue to cook sauce for another two minutes, stirring to thicken. Add more salt and pepper if desired. Add roast to Dutch oven, let set for a few minutes to absorb sauce. Serve along with, or atop, French style potatoes ( see recipe).

This recipe is inspired by Ina Garten of The Food Network