POT ROAST WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS RECIPES

Steps:

• For the marinara sauce: In an 8-inch saucepan, add the olive oil along with the onion and turn the heat to medium. Add a small pinch of salt and saute until the onion softens and develops a bit of color, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes along with the sugar and oregano, partially cover the saucepan with a lid, bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce reduces and deepens in color, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the lid, add the basil, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for 5 additional minutes.
• For the pot roast with porcini mushrooms: Season the beef well with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper all over and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Bring 1 cup of water just up to a boil and transfer to a small bowl along with the porcini mushrooms. Set them aside to rehydrate for 6 minutes.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the canola oil and allow it to get hot. Add the beef and brown on all sides for 3 to 4 minutes per side, a total of 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the beef from the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, celery, carrots and onion along with a small pinch of salt and pepper and saute until the veggies develop some color and cook down a bit, about 7 minutes.
• Add the beef back in along with the wine, beef stock, rosemary and 2 cups of the marinara sauce. Add the rehydrated porcini mushrooms along with the soaking liquid, making sure to avoid the last few tablespoons because there will be some grit at the bottom of the bowl. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and let cook for about 3 1/2 hours, flipping the meat halfway through.
• After 3 1/2 hours, add the pearl onions. Turn the heat back up to medium high and cook, uncovered, for 20 more minutes, flipping the meat over halfway through. Remove the roast and allow it to rest for a bit before shredding it into large chunks. Skim the fat from the sauce. After shredding the meat, stir it back into the sauce.
• For the polenta: Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring the milk and 5 cups water to a gentle boil. Add the polenta along with a good amount of salt and pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat down to low, partially cover the pot and allow the polenta to simmer for about 20 minutes, giving it a stir every 5 minutes; depending on the size of your polenta or cornmeal, it may take more or less cooking time to become creamy.
• Turn the heat off, add the butter and cheese and stir until the butter and cheese melt. Top with a serving of the pot roast and sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Bring broth to simmer in saucepan. Remove from heat; add mushrooms, cover, and let stand until soft, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to cutting board. Chop coarsely. Reserve mushrooms and broth separately.
• Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total. Transfer beef to large plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from pot. Place pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, chopped marjoram, and reserved porcini mushrooms; sauté 1 minute. Using hands, crush tomatoes, 1 at a time, into pot. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. Add wine; boil 5 minutes. Add reserved mushroom broth, leaving any sediment behind. Boil 5 minutes.
• Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot. Cover; transfer to oven. Cook 1 1/2 hours. Turn beef and continue cooking until tender, about 1 1/2 hours longer. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cool. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Transfer beef to cutting board; tent with foil. Spoon fat from surface of juices in pot. Bring juices to boil; cook until liquid is reduced to 4 cups, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cut beef into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer to platter. Spoon juices over, garnish with marjoram sprigs, and serve.