New Recipes

So, I decided part of my 2011 New Year's Resolution would be to cook more. I really love to cook, just don't often have the time or energy to do so. This time of year I do however, usually get a few more opportunities for some weekend down-time to make a nice meal.

One of my favorite Food Network cooks is Giada. I was watching her holiday episode a few weeks ago and her pot roast recipe tickled my fancy. I am not a huge stew, pot roast, pot pie kinda gal, but this recipe looked really good and super easy for someone like me who doesn't always cook meat very well.

Stracotto (Pot roast in Italian of course..., said with her weird accent followed by a totally English word and no accent)

Ingredients:

5lb boneless beef chuck (I used 2lb and cooked for about 1:55)

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

olive oil

2 onions, chopped (I used one for a 2lb roast)

6 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

1 C red wine (I would recommend a cabernet blend)

1 15 ounce can/box of beef broth (low sodium is best)

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

1 large sprig of fresh rosemary (chopped)

6 sprigs of fresh thyme (chopped)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Pat beef dry w paper towel and season all sides with s and p. In large Dutch oven or 6-qrt pot, add olive oil and brown beef on all sides, just a few minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.

Next add more olive oil and saute onion until translucent. Add garlic and cook for about a minute. Then add wine, and scrape brown bits off the of bottom of pan. Then add broth and dried mushrooms. Return beef to pot, bring to a boil, then cover and place in hot oven. Cook for about 3 hours or until meat is tender to the fork (falls apart).

When meat is done, remove and set to side to rest with foil tent. Remove about a cup of sauce and blend in food processor or blender, then add back to pot (this makes it thicker). Bring sauce to a boil and add herbs, a little butter and s and p. Then place meat back into pot to reheat, and serve.

SO good. Serve with a glass of the wine used in recipe.

As a side, I was inspired by all of the potatoes and zucchini I had in my pantry so added a few other ingredients and came up with this gratin recipe.

Potato & Zucchini Gratin

Ingredients:

3 average size zucchini, washed and sliced

small yellow potatoes, washed and sliced

kosher salt and pepper

olive oil

1 tbls butter

1.5 C gruyere cheese, grated

1/4 C panko bread crumbs

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Drizzle olive oil on bottom of 2 inch deep baking dish. Place sliced potato and zucchini and alternate in rows until entire dish is filled.

Drizzle a little more olive oil, salt and pepper on top of vegetables. Next top with grated cheese, bread crumbs and butter (break apart cold butter in little pieces).

Toss in hot oven and cook for about 45 minutes or until top is browned.

I really liked the combination of the zucchini and potatoes, with the flavor of the gruyere. It was just the right type of cheese to use for this. You could also use a white cheddar or even parmesan or asiago cheese.

A perfect Sunday night meal.