Beef and Carrots

Time requirements: about 30 minutes to prep before it goes into the oven, 2 hours in the oven and an addition 20 minutes of prep while the meat cooks.

What you will need:

A 3-pound boneless chuck roast.

1 teaspoon salt.

A few grinds of fresh black pepper.

2 tablespoons olive oil.

1½ pound carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch thick slices.

1 pound of the white portion of leeks washed and chopped. (Note the food processor is a good tool to chop the leeks.)

1 cup white wine.

1 Roma tomato (3-4 ounces) quartered.

3 garlic cloves, split.

A bouquet garni made of 1 bay leaf, 1 celery stalk, 2 sage leaves, 3 springs of thyme, 6 springs of parsley all tied with a string.

1 quart of veal stock.

An additional 1½ carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces.

A dozen small potatoes, about the size of a walnut.

Preparation:

Remove the meat from the refrigerator and place it on a clean work surface. Using a paring knife, remove any large sections of fat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and leave the meat until you are ready to cook it. You can season the meat 24 hour in advance and keep it in the refrigerator.

When the time comes to cook, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Heat a 5-6-quart Dutch oven (one that has a tight-fitting lid) over a high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, brown the meat. It will take about 3-5 minutes on each side (top and bottom) to brown the meat. The meat will release itself from the bottom of the pan when it is brown. When the meat is brown, remove it to a plate.

When the meat is brown remove it to a plate. Add the first 1½ pounds carrots to the pan. Stir them about for a minute, then add the leeks. Cook for a minute or two stirring all the time. Add the wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan with the wine. Allow the wine to nearly completely evaporate. Add the tomato, garlic, and bouquet garni to the pan. Place the meat atop these vegetables and then add the veal stock to the pan. Bring the contents of the pan to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven for 2 hours. Turn the meat every 30 minutes while it cooks in the oven.

While the meat cooks steam the second 1½ pound carrots and potatoes until they are three-quarters cook.

When the meat has cooked, remove it from the pan, place on a plate, and cover with foil. Strain the cooking juices. Discard the solids and return the juices to the pan and reduce to it is just 4 cups. Add the carrots and potatoes to the pan to reheat in the reducing juices. When reduced, divided the reduced juices and vegetable between 4 warmed bowls and add some slices of the meat to each serving. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve at once.