Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times - Mark Bittman [74]
3. Remove the meat and carve it, then return it to the pot (or put it on a platter with the sauce and the rutabaga). Garnish with the scallion and serve.
VARIATION
European Pot Roast with Carrots
Use olive oil for searing. Replace the soy-water mixture, ginger, and star anise with a mixture of 2 cups red wine, 20 peeled pearl onions (the frozen ones aren’t bad), 5 peeled and lightly smashed garlic cloves, and 1 cup trimmed, chopped mushrooms. Add more wine (or water) if necessary to the simmering meat as it cooks. Substitute carrots for the rutabaga in step 2 and garnish with chopped fresh parsley in place of scallion.
POT ROAST WITH CRANBERRIES
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
TIME: ABOUT 1¼ HOURS
UNLIKE THEIR COUSIN, the blueberry—which is sometimes used in savory cooking, although almost never successfully—cranberries are not at all sweet and so make a much more natural companion for meat.
One trick I’ve learned over the years is that dusting the meat with a sprinkling of sugar makes the browning process go much more rapidly and leaves behind a caramelized residue that lends a great complexity to the final dish. It’s not an appropriate trick for every occasion, but it’s perfect for this gutsy, appealing, and unusual pot roast.
Most pot roasts depend mightily for their flavor on the juices exuded by the meat itself, but since the meat’s contribution here is minimized by the powerful cranberry-based combination, a faster-cooking cut like tenderloin works perfectly, reducing the cooking time to just over an hour.
1 tablespoon butter or extra virgin olive oil
½ cup sugar
One 2- to 3-pound piece beef tenderloin (filet mignon)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup sherry vinegar or good-quality wine vinegar
¾ pound cranberries
1 orange
Cayenne
1. Put the butter or oil in a casserole or skillet that can later be covered and turn the heat to medium-high. Put the sugar on a plate and dredge all surfaces of the meat in it; reserve the remaining sugar. When the butter foam subsides or the oil is hot, brown the meat on all sides, seasoning it with salt and pepper as it browns.
2. When the meat is nicely browned, add the vinegar and cook for a minute, stirring, then add the cranberries and remaining sugar and stir. Strip the zest from the orange (you can do it in broad strips, with a small knife or vegetable peeler) and add it to the pot; juice the orange and add the juice also, along with a pinch of cayenne. Turn the heat to low and cover; the mixture should bubble but not furiously.
3. Cook, turning the meat and stirring for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is 125°F to 130°F (medium-rare); you can cook it longer if you like.
4. When the meat is done, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Turn off the heat and let the roast rest for a few minutes, then carve and serve, with the sauce.
BEEF WITH CARAMELIZED SUGAR
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
TIME: 2 HOURS OR LESS
CARAMEL IS THE KEY to what makes this dish distinctive; though it is made from sugar, it gains a certain bitterness if you cook it long enough. Chances are no one will be able to figure out how you made this.
One 2-pound piece boneless beef chuck roast
1 large onion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup stock or water
1 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes, then add the beef. Sear on one side until nicely browned, about 5 minutes, then sear on the other side. Transfer to a plate, turn the heat to medium, and add the onion. Season it with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Return the meat to the pan and season it with salt and pepper; add the stock, bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, and cover