Friday Night Pot Roast

Directions

Place parsley, dill, bay leaf and thyme into a spice bag.

Put meat into large narrow pot or bowl that will just hold it, leaving room for liquid (cut meat in ½ to fit if necessary).

In medium saucepan combine onion, carrots, pepper, garlic, shallots, spice bag, cloves, spices, apple juice and water.

Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmering and cook for 3 min.

Stir in wine.

Pour over meat.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Drain meat, pushing off vegetables.

Remove and reserve spice bag.

Strain marinade into bowl, reserving solids.

Heat oil in heavy Dutch oven over med-hi heat.

Brown meat all over; add drained vegetables.

Stir and cook with meat until they begin to soften.

Add reserved marinade, spice bag and tomato purée, turning meat and spooning several times with sauce.

Cover and cook over moderate heat for 5 min.

Position oven rack to lower third of oven.

Bake 1 hr.

Turn meat and baste. Repeat turning and basting 3 more times until meat is tender (3½ to 4 hrs).

Remove pot from oven and let stand 30 min.

Discard spice bag.

Transfer meat to bowl with cover.

Place pot over medium high heat and bring sauce to boil. Cook, uncovered, until reduced by ¼.

Let cool; then pour into another container with tight lid.

Refrigerate meat and sauce until well chilled.

Cut away any congealed fat from sauce.

Pour sauce into wide heavy-bottom saucepan.

Heat until bubbling.

Sprinkle with salt.

Cut meat against grain into ¼ inch slices.

Immerse in sauce and heat through. Arrange meat on warmed serving platter in a neat pattern. Spoon with some of gravy; serve remainder in gravy boat. Garnish platter with watercress.