{ Braised Roast With Root Vegetables }

Your family will beg for seconds of this amazing roast.

1-1/2 pounds beef roast, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon allspice berries, crushed lightly
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed lightly
1 cup dry red wine
1 rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup less-sodium beef broth
2 medium onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
1-1/2 cups carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled turnips
1-1/2 cups fennel bulb, cut lengthwise into 12 wedges

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Season beef with salt and pepper, and heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear beef thoroughly on all sides, about 5-6 minutes per side, until it is a deep, mahogany brown. Transfer the beef to a plate.

2. Add garlic to pan with allspice berries and fennel seeds, and sauté for 1 minute to release fragrance. Pour in wine and scrape up bits left in the pan. Add rosemary, bay leaf, and beef broth, then add beef back to the pan and bring to a simmer. Top with onions. Cover tightly and transfer to oven.

3. Cook for 2 hours in oven. Remove pot, flip beef, and add remaining vegetables in with the meat. Cover again, and cook for an additional 45 minutes.

4. When beef is fork-tender, transfer meat to a cutting board and arrange vegetables on a large platter. Cover both with foil. Uncover pot and reduce juices on the stovetop over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, then transfer to a sauceboat. Slice roast thinly across the grain, and arrange on the platter. Serve sauce alongside beef and vegetables.

Serves 6

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{ Balsamic Braised Chicken }

Balsamic vinegar enhances the deep flavor of this moist chicken dish.

6 chicken thighs, skinned
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup honey
1 bay leaf

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and heat olive oil in a braising pan over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thoroughly on all sides until it is a deep, golden color, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate.
2. Add shallots and thyme to the pot, and sauté until soft and golden. Pour wine into pan, and scrape up any bits left from the chicken. Cook 1-2 minutes, until nearly all liquid has evaporated.

3. Add vinegar, broth, honey, bay leaf, and chicken to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Cover tightly and transfer to oven. Cook 30 minutes, turning once, until chicken is cooked through and is a deep, mahogany brown.

4. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer chicken to a plate. Remove bay leaf, and skim off and discard any fat floating on the surface of the sauce. Cook sauce uncovered on a burner over medium-high heat to reduce liquid by half, until it has the consistency of a light syrup. Reduce heat to medium-low, add chicken back to pan, spoon sauce over top, and cook for 2 minutes to reheat. Serve hot.

Serves 3

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{ Braised Lentils with Onions and Spinach }

This high-protein vegetarian dish contains white wine and fresh thyme, and is topped with crumbled feta cheese.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups dried lentils
4 cups thinly sliced onion
3 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 (10-ounce) bag prewashed spinach
1 (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese

1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven, and sauté carrot and shallots for 5 minutes. Add wine and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.

2. Add lentils and onion to the pot along with broth, salt, pepper, and thyme, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover tightly. Cook for 35 minutes, stirring twice, until lentils are tender and liquid is almost evaporated. Stir in vinegar and spinach, and simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes, until liquid reduces slightly and spinach wilts. Sprinkle with crumbled feta and serve.

Serves 6

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