French Pot Roast - Boeuf à la Mode

NUTMEG and MACE are Sister Spices.

Mace resembles nutmeg, but is more pungent. It is the traditional spice for pound cake, but is also enhances the taste of cherry pie, chocolate dishes, and whipped cream. It is very good, indeed, in seafood and fish sauces, or in chicken fricassees, or French pot roast. But since it is on the potent side start - as with all spices - with a pinch when experimenting, adding more if a fuller flavor is desired.



Beef cuts: Round and Rump - These sections include round steak, eye round, top round, standing rump, rolled rump, and sirloin tip. All these cuts are excellent for braising, pot roasts, and stews.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lb. pot roast of beef
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1/8 tsp mace
• 2 Tbsp. wine vinegar
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cups dry red wine
• 1 veal knuckle
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. cognac
• 4 carrots, quartered
• 12 mushroom cups, quartered

Directions:

In a glass or pottery bowl, combine the sliced onions, bay leaves, salt, pepper, thyme, mace, vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 1 1/2 cups of the wine. Add the meat, cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator at least 24 hours, turning occasionally. Drain and reserve marinade. Dry the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roll up, tie securely with thread.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Heat the remaining oil in a skillet; brown the meat on all sides over high heat. Transfer the meat to a Dutch oven or deep heavy saucepan. Pour the marinade into the skillet and bring to a boil. scraping the brown particles from the bottom of the skillet. Add to a Dutch oven, along with the veal knuckle, garlic and cognac. Cover, bring to a boil over direct heat, then roast in a oven 2 1/2 hours, adding some of half the remaining wine from time to time. Discard the veal knuckle and skim fat from the gravy. Add the carrots, mushrooms, and remaining wine; re-cover and roast one hour longer.

Taste for seasoning. Carve the meat and arrange on a hot serving platter, surround with vegetables.