Pot Roast with Pureed Vegetable Gravy
A recipe by Marie Simmons

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• I piece bottom round roast (about 3 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped white button mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped parsnip
• 1 garlic clove
• I can (28 ounces) Italian-style plum tomatoes with juices
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large Dutch oven or other stovetop-to-oven pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the roast and cook over medium-high heat, turning, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan to a side dish.

2. Add the remaining teaspoon oil and the water to the pan; stir in the onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms and parsnip. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Heat, breaking up the tomatoes with the side of the spoon, until boiling. Return the meat and any juices in the side dish to the pan. Spoon the vegetables over the meat. Cover and place in the oven.

3. Cook, turning the roast once or twice, until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and let stand at room temperature until cool enough to handle. Lift the meat to a side dish and let stand. Remove the bay leaf from the vegetables. Puree the vegetables and juices in a food processor or through a food mill set over a bowl. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

4. Carefully cut the meat across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve the sliced pot roast with vegetable gravy spooned on top. (The leftovers are delicious.)

Makes 10 to 12 servings.