Benedettas Tuscan Pot Roast Recipes

ITALIAN POT ROAST (STRACOTTO ALLA FIORENTINA)

Steps:

• Trim some of the fat from the meat. Using a sharp knife, make cuts all over the meat and insert the garlic slices inside. Season generously with salt and pepper. If you like, you can tie the beef with kitchen strin, to help it keep it shape during cooking.
• In a large dutch oven pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the meat and brown on all sides until a nice brown crust develops, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and reserve.
• Lower the heat to medium low. Add the veggies and cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Then, add the wine and cook until it reduces slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Add the marinara sauce and stir to combine. Then, add back the chuck roast and the basil leaves. Cover, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours, turning the roast at least once, until fork tender. If you think the sauce is drying out, you can add some water of beef broth.
• When done, remove the basil leaves and discard. Transfer the meat to a chopping board, remove the kitchen string (if used) and cut into smaller pieces. The sauce should be thick enough, but if it's not, you can continue boiling over medium-high heat, uncovered, until it reaches the desired thickness. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
• Serve the roast over creamy polenta (or mashed potatoes), garnished with chopped parsley.

BENEDETTA'S SAUTEED SPINACH

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 inch of water into a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add salt and spinach, cover, and let cook for 1 minute. Uncover, stir with a wooden spoon, and boil for another minute. Drain thoroughly, leaving the spinach in the colander for about 10 minutes. Gently press out the excess water with the back of a fork, taking care not to damage the leaves.
• Using a very sharp knife gently cut the spinach into strips. Be sure not to mince the spinach, which will be quite fragile.
• In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil, garlic, and chile pepper over medium heat, stirring so the garlic doesn't burn as the oil heats. When oil begins to sizzle, add the cut spinach, and cook for about 5 minutes. Occasionally turn the spinach gently with a wooden spoon to combine. Taste, adjust for salt, and serve hot.

ITALIAN POT ROAST

Steps:

• Cut roast in half. Place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, onion, wine, salt, basil, oregano, garlic and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender. , Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve with meat.

ITALIAN POT ROAST (STRACOTTO)

Steps:

• Cut the garlic into thin slivers. Pierce the meat in many places with the point of a knife and insert the garlic slivers into the holes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy 3- to 4-quart heatproof casserole. Add the meat and brown it well over medium heat. Remove it from the casserole. Add the remaining oil and the onions, carrots and celery. Saute them until moderately brown.
• Stir in the wine and cook for a few minutes, scraping the casserole. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and basil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and return the meat to the casserole.
• Cover tightly and cook over very low heat for at least three hours, until the meat is very tender. Turn the meat a few times during cooking.
• Remove the meat from the casserole. To serve immediately, skim the fat from the surface of the sauce, then puree the sauce in a food processor and reheat. Otherwise, refrigerate the meat and sauce overnight. Remove any congealed fat from the sauce and puree the sauce in a food processor. Reheat the meat in the sauce before serving.

BENEDETTA'S TUSCAN POT ROAST

Steps:

• On a cutting board, mince together rosemary and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Using a long sharp knife, make a hole right through the meat. Push the seasoning mixture into the meat with the handle of a wooden spoon.
• Add oil to a Dutch oven just large enough to hold the beef. Heat over high heat, and brown the meat on all sides, except where it has been cut by the butcher, about 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, stir mustard into wine, and add to the Dutch oven. Season with salt. Continue to cook, covered, over high heat, turning the meat often, so that each side of the meat is immersed in the boiling liquid. The exact time will be determined by the size of the meat, but the browning time plus 15 minutes of cooking in wine will probably be sufficient. The beef should be dark brown on the outside and pink on the inside.
• Remove the meat to a carving board or platter. If you want a thicker gravy, leave the liquid over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until it becomes a bit thicker. If you want a thinner gravy, add stock. Adjust the seasoning. Slice, and serve with the gravy spooned over.