Pot Roast with Herbed Flatbread and Green Beans

My husband actually said, "this is the best roast you've ever made."  I always love to hear that someone enjoyed my meal.  We actually watched Giada De Laurentiis make this on her show Giada at Home.  I immediately picked up my laptop and looked up the recipe.  I printed it and put the ingredients on the grocery list.  My oldest had two huge portions and asked to take the flatbread in his lunchbox the next day.  Marcus, my youngest, usually never cares for steak or stew gobbled it up too without argument.  We have a winner.  I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we did.  The roast is amazing as a sandwich the next day too!!!

You start by browning the roast on all sides in 6 quart pan.  The recipe called for a 5 lb roast, but Meijer had 2 1/2 lb roasts on sale; so I bought two and tied them together.  It worked just fine.  Once you brown all the sides, place it on a plate while you prepare the vegetables.

Add the vegetables and cook for about 8 minutes.  The recipe called for fennel, but it was priced to high, so I skipped it.  I was going to substitute onions, but thought it may be to much with the boiling onions and more onions, so I skipped it.  I'll try fennel next time.  

Add the roast back to the pot along with the beef broth and wine.  The recipe called for sherry, but I had a bottle of red wine open, so used that.  Bring this to a boil and then cover and cook in the oven for 4 hours.

This is so juicy and delicious.  But we are not done yet.  I usually would stop here when I make a roast.  Giada has you remove the roast and use and emulsion blender to blend the veggies and broth to a thick broth/gravy to pour over the roast!  It is a step worth taking.  If you don't have an emulsion blender, just use your mixer in batches.  Be careful, as it is very hot!

Okay, now here is the flatbread.  So yummy and very easy to make!!!  The fresh herbs make the bread so flavorful!!!  Put the dry ingredients in the mixer and use the paddle attachment.  Add the liquid and mix until it comes together.  Kneed the dough and shape into four disks.

Roll out the four disks to a size that will fit into your grill pan.

Look how amazing it looks with all the fresh herbs in it.  I can't wait to try parmesan cheese and other varieties!

Brush both sides with olive oil.  Grill in your grill pan with the press on top for about 4 minutes on each side.

Yummy.  Golden brown on both sides.  I made these while the boys set the table.  They are super fast to cook!

Here are the breads.  You just break off pieces and dip in your roast juices.  You want to see the roast, right?

You break it off into chunks and pour some of the sauce over the top.  My mouth is watering while I type.  I will be having the leftovers for lunch today!!!

Here is my plate from that night.  OH YUM! 

The recipes are posted below.  They can also be found on the food network site under Giada at Home.

Cipollini Onion and Fennel Pot Roast

Ingredients

Herb rub:

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (5-pound) boneless beef chuck roast
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound (about 2 cups) cipollini, boiler, or pearl onions, peeled
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus extra, as needed
• 2 dried bay leaves

Directions

For the rub: In a small bowl, mix together the rosemary, thyme, oil, salt, and pepper until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and rub on all sides with the herb rub. In a heavy 6-quart pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Remove the beef and set aside.


Add the remaining oil, onions, carrots, and fennel to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic. Add the sherry and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the broth and bay leaves. Return the beef and any juices to the pot and bring the liquids to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the beef is fork-tender, about 4 hours, turning the beef over halfway through and adding extra broth, as needed, to keep the beef halfway covered in liquid.


Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let stand for 15 minutes. Spoon any excess fat off the top of the pan juices. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables and cooking juices together until smooth. (The vegetables can also be pureed in a blender). Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm over low heat.


Cut the beef into 1-inch pieces and place on a platter. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat and serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Herbed Flatbread

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup water, plus extra, as needed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, rosemary, and thyme in the bowl of an upright mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes. With the machine running, slowly add the water until the mixture forms a dough, adding more water, if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Form into disc shapes and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.


Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each piece of dough into an 8 to 10-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Brush each circle with olive oil and grill for 4 minutes each side. Remove the flatbread from the grill and cool slightly before serving.