Bison Pot Roast with vegetables, Squash Purée, Roasted Asparagus, Lentil, Barley & Feta Salad, and Pavlova with Black Currant Curd and Fruit Salsa
Sorry, I totally dropped the ball last night. Our good friends came from BC for dinner and a sleepover, which obviously went late. After midnight when everyone else retired to their bedrooms, I diligently logged on to post dinner here. But when at quarter to one I plugged my camera in to upload photos and the battery died, I let a few expletives fly and went to bed.
Of course I didn’t remember that it was Free Stuff Friday until this morning, when I needed to get a couple hours of visiting in while popping corn and making pakoras for Tasha’s big CD release party this afternoon. (Which was a blast – great to see some of you there and finally meet you in person!)
But let’s backtrack to yesterday: by mid afternoon it had already dropped to 4 degrees and was threatening snow. So instead of sitting out on the patio, flipping something meaty on the barbecue while balancing cold gin & tonics, I put a pot roast in the oven. It was a good thing, actually – awhile ago one of you dear readers surprised me with a bag of frozen bison, straight from the farm, and I was waiting for an opportunity (and dinner guests) to cook the blade roast. It was a beautiful, small (perfectly sized) one, and I started by patting it dry and seasoning it with salt and pepper, then browned it on all sides in some canola oil in a hot cast iron skillet. Some recipes instruct flouring the meat first – if you do this, do it sparingly, or you end up browning the flour and not the meat. I prefer to brown the meat straight-up, and if I want a bit of flour to help thicken the sauce, dust it lightly as it goes into the pot. (I find it doesn’t do much anyway – I’d rather cook it down and intensify it than thicken it with flour.)
You can cook a pot roast one of two ways – in a pot on the stovetop, or in a pot in the oven. I opted for door #2 only because my only stovetop pot of the right size was otherwise occupied storing ginger-carrot soup for the CD release party (an odd choice for a kids’ party, you may think? One of her songs, the Recipe Hoe Down, has lyrics that instruct making soup, apple crisp and veggie pakoras with chutney, which determined part of the menu) – so I used my enamel-coated cast iron pot. Not a Le Creuset, which are beautiful but a little too rich for my blood – I have one small orange one I picked up at a garage sale for the low low price of $7, but my big oval enamel-cast iron pot was made by a company called Authentic Kitchen, and I picked it up at Winners for $20. I have managed to get a lot of mileage out of it over the years – I can’t imagine it’s any lesser than a real Le Creuset. It is, by the way, what I make my no-knead bread in. You can see it’s well used.
So the other great thing about browning your meat in a skillet first (or a pot, if you’re doing it on the stovetop) is all those brown bits, which is what is going to give your gravy so much flavour. (That’s why you’re browning the meat in the first place – to create that flavour – rather than throwing it in the pot raw.) I transferred the meat to the pot and then added an onion, cut into thin wedges, to the pan, just to get up some of those meaty bits. Then added those to the pot with the meat, chunked up a couple carrots, and poured about a cup of beef broth into the pan to quickly get up any of that remaining tastiness, and poured it around the meat with the end of a bottle of sherry. You want enough liquid to come about a third of the way up the meat – any kind of broth, wine, tomato juice, and water all work well, and I have even heard of people using coffee. Cover it tightly with a lid or foil, and simmer on low heat or bake it at no higher than 300°F for about 3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender. If you like, add about a pound of baby new potatoes to the pot during the last hour of cooking. I did.
Basic Pot Roast
3-4 lb. chuck roast, rump roast, boneless bottom or eye of round or brisket (beef or bison)
salt and pepper
a drizzle of canola or olive oil
1 onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
1-2 cups liquid (beef or vegetable broth, wine, crushed tomatoes or juice, or a combination of these)
1-2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sherry or chili sauce (optional – just to add flavour)Pat your roast dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt and pepper. In a large pot or skillet set over medium-high heat, heat a drizzle of oil until hot but not smoking. Brown the roast on all sides, turning it with tongs or a fork.
Remove the roast from the pot and set it aside on a plate. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic to the pot and cook for a few minutes, until they start to brown. (If you want to skip this step, just throw the veggies in with the roast. Cooking them first caramelizes them a bit, adding more flavor.) Return the roast to the pot and add the liquid and any seasonings you like.
Cover the pot tightly and simmer the roast on low heat on the stovetop or inside a 275°F oven for 3-4 hours, turning the meat once or twice if you think of it.
Remove the roast from the juices and set it aside. Wrap it loosely with foil to keep it warm. Let the juices settle for a few minutes, then scoop any excess fat off the surface with a wide spoon. Strain the solids out by pouring the juices through a sieve or using a slotted spoon, or purée them with a hand-held immersion blender or in a regular blender or food processor. Return the strained or puréed liquid to the pot, set it over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes to reduce and concentrate the juices, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Slice or shred the beef and serve it with the sauce poured overtop. Serves 6, with leftovers.
Dessert was an easy choice – I had leftover black currant curd and fruit from Thursday’s barbecue. (Mike is getting pretty handy at finely chopping a mango, kiwi and handful of strawberries to make salsa.) I made a half batch of pavlova – 3 egg whites still turned out 10 individual nests twice the size of the ones I usually do. Honestly, pavlova is the easiest make-ahead dessert around. And if you do a full batch – which calls for 6 egg whites – you’ll have 6 yolks left over with which to make lemon curd. Or black currant, if you have access to some concentrated juice (like Ribena – but I use local stuff from Kayben farms – and they do mail order!). Spoon a bit of curd into the meringue, then top with whipped cream and fruit. If not the salsa – fresh berries, mango, peaches, passionfruit, whatever is in season wherever you are.
Lemon or Black Currant Curd
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice or black currant concentrate (like Ribena, or black currant concentrate from Kayben farms)
zest of one or two lemons (if you’re making lemon curd)
1/3 cup butter, cut into piecesIn a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring often (if not constantly) with a whisk, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Set aside to cool. Makes about 2 cups.
So for Free Stuff Fridays, in honour of Tasha’s spanking new CD, I have a copy of Big Bad Bantam Rooster to give away. If you have kids, or know any parents of kids, they will love it. I find myself playing it even when W isn’t in the car, when there is no one to tell me to PLEASE stop singing, even after having listened to it (and specifically tracks 3, 5, 6, 9 and 17) eight thousand times. As always, I’m curious what you had for dinner last night. But I have another burning question.
What the hell is this?
(Mike’s mom sends W letters regularly, with dollar store stickers plastered all over the envelope. They all look like variations on this mutant theme. Now, art is universal, is it not? Seriously. I will be shocked if W doesn’t develop an aversion to clowns. I’m not sure which is more confusing, the actual artwork or the trim job.)
One Year Ago: Sausage, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup
Print Post
June 06 2009 06:34 pm | bison and dessert
Terri on 06 Jun 2009 at 6:56 pm #
It’s the long lost “Picasso’s Clown” ! I’d Hang on to it for a while…maybe will increase in value?! That, or perhaps an unfortunate shredding accident when W isn’t watching will save his psyche for the future. ; )
Elizabeth L. on 06 Jun 2009 at 7:23 pm #
Yikes! It looks like a clown wearing a strange bikini–perhaps your mom trimmed off the scarier parts!
Your dinner looks delicious and it must have been the weather, because I tossed a boneless pork shoulder in the slow cooker with onions and celery and added tomatoes, bbq sauce and red wine vinegar after a couple of hours. It is the perfect comfort food served with mashed potatoes and peas.
Carol SB on 06 Jun 2009 at 8:20 pm #
Clearly it’s “extreme makeover” gone terribly, terribly wrong. The blue bags over as well as under the eyes… the trendy “bananna” lipstick; the serious wardrobe malfunction… and the pork chop on the head?!
…We had the big “weekend pot of soup” (I’m never sure how many people I’ll have for lunch/ supper on a Friday or Saturday), with Sourdough French bread (John Dough is thriving nicely in the fridge: thank you Julie!) I’m not in for the draw though… no grandkids yet and I don’t want to give anyone the impression that I have Expectations.
-CSB
Meg on 06 Jun 2009 at 8:29 pm #
It’s frighteningly the striking image of one of my great aunts, on my dad’s side. She lives in Calgary so will remain nameless to protect the innocent.
Though crimes of eyeshadow like that make me question the innocent part
Sadly, I had plans for Chicken Tikka Masala, perfect for a rainy night- but then got wrapped up in a writing project and we had pizza pops. Sad day.
Jen C on 06 Jun 2009 at 9:39 pm #
I love ‘what you had for dinner’ questions – it always gives me such great ideas!
Tonight we made arrangements to have friends come for dinner and to watch the hockey game – who already had some amazing ribs going in her slow cooker. I added some roasted garlic and buttermilk mashed potatoes and a big salad and we were set. Another couple came over and it turned into a fun night, capped off with rubarb crisp and vanilla ice cream (and some good red vino…).
I love that Authentic Kitchen piece!!! Last year at a garage sale, I found a bright yellow casserole (with lid) for $1. Awesome!
robyn on 07 Jun 2009 at 12:06 am #
I cannot stop laughing! What the hell indeed! It almost looks like the clown is wearing a French maid’s outfit backwards….and maybe mooning someone?
Joni on 07 Jun 2009 at 5:44 am #
Last night my husband made an amazing Jambalaya, which we had with a spinach salad with toasted pecans and grapes in it. Honestly, I don’t know why I don’t make him cook more often!
carla on 07 Jun 2009 at 6:21 am #
Woa, that is weird!! Looks like it has to go to the bathroom!
We had lasagna and homemade garlic breadsticks with friends. 4 adults and 10 kids – amazing we got to eat at all!
Where can we buy your friends CD? We are always looking for ‘driving diversion music!’
Elaine on 07 Jun 2009 at 7:17 am #
That really is terrifying. The combination of bag-lady makeup, supertan skin, french maid outfit, and provocative [giant] a$$-waggling pose? Ye gods!
Dinner last night was burritos: cheap, 1 block away, and scarfed down en route to a bonfire. Tonight will be much more impressive, though; I’m going to be making a batch of longanisa (Filipino sausages) and spicy gazpacho w/ basil croutons. Summer food time!
Cheryl on 07 Jun 2009 at 7:30 am #
With the weather this weekend inducing a craving for Prozac, it was essential to invite some friends over to distract me from the frozen ruins of my garden. (It’s been so cold and wet and snowy that the birdbaths were mini skating rinks this morning. The crows couldn’t wash their scavenged french fries, and were mighty miffed about it!)
So…we had a real farmer’s market feast for dinner last night. DH marinated Bon Ton free range chicken breasts in an exotic Moroccan rub — which has become a weekly staple in this house. I think I got the recipe from you Julie, but I’m not totally sure. With the chicken we had an amazing orzo salad with Edgar Farms asparagus, broccoli, feta, almonds, etc. I found the recipe at the 101 Kitchens blogsite. We also had a Caprese salad with yellow Gull Valley tomatoes and Sylvan Star fresh cheese curds (instead of fresh mozza) that was nothing short of spectacular. Oh — if only every meal was as delish as this one was!!! And to top the whole thing off? — No-knead bread! Wow, why have I waited until now to make this???? Talk about dead easy! Everyone was suitable impressed and stuffed to the gills. ….I could’ve done without the sleepless night that ensued, but that was likely induced by the excellent vino. (btw, I have the perfect Le Creuset casserole that I obtained *free* from Airmiles)
Too bad about that scary clown — life’s too short for fugliness — banish it to the shredder!
Cheers and thanks for all the great kitchen inspiration — you keep it real!
KelleyK on 07 Jun 2009 at 7:37 am #
We had an orange pork ragout served over brown rice. The ragout was a recipe from the ny times that I found on a food blog (Wed chef). Not sure I’ll make it again. If anyone else tries it, I’d definitely take the Wed chef’s suggestion and cut down on the orange by half.
Denese on 07 Jun 2009 at 7:56 am #
I had made no-knead bread, subbing in some sourdough starter, so once it was cool enough to slice we made tasty sandwiches with Black Forest bacon and tomatoes. Accompanied by lentil-barley salad utilizing some spinach which I had fall-seeded in our garden. It is growing like crazy now, grateful for the rain and cool.
Rose in Red Deer on 07 Jun 2009 at 8:02 am #
We had delicious omelets made by my husband (bacon, Vidalia onion, tomato and cheese) along with homemade bread, toasted–not no knead bread but still very good.
Melanie on 07 Jun 2009 at 9:01 am #
Is it part of a clown puzzle??? Definitely dollar store art but so awesome that W gets mail!!! That is my kids’ favorite thing!
danzy on 07 Jun 2009 at 9:25 am #
Last night’s meal for me was a chickpea, caper, arugula, shredded beet, carrot, quinoa, cucumber, almond & feta cheese salad topped off with a Julie inspired dressing of lemon juice/olive oil/italian parsley/salt/pepper. yum! my husband had a banana, strawberry, yoghurt & cinnamon smoothie (I can’t believe he didn’t find a way to mix some sort of meat product in it) . I have to mention the smores (sp?) we made last weekend while camping with our nephew..raincoast date crackers topped a marshmallow of course, but we jammed a wine gum inside it and topped it all with a couple squares of chocolate. sweet and salty goodness!
rea on 07 Jun 2009 at 9:41 am #
venetian shrimp and pasta; asparagus; stuffed pepper halves; apple/blueberry crisp for god’s sake–that’s winter food.
that clown is pornographic and not in a good way!
glenda on 07 Jun 2009 at 10:16 am #
wow ..lots of gourmet sounding meals! I am impressed. We were at a wedding, so had the salad/roast beef/mashed potato/veg combo – and I didn’t have to cook it!!
Heard the promo for the CD release on good old CBC – sounded like fun!
Sarah on 07 Jun 2009 at 11:50 am #
I can’t even begin to identify what that clown is wearing – other than maybe a red bowtie? I do know I had some homemade ’scrap suits’ that my mum made when I was little and still in her frugal phase (not that frugal is bad, but, you know, too much of a good thing…). We were at a stag & doe last night so I had cold cuts, potato salad, pasta salad, meatballs, pickles and beer. And jello shots for dessert!
Sarah on 07 Jun 2009 at 11:52 am #
Argh: meant to say my scrap suits looked a bit like that clown outfit.
Sue on 07 Jun 2009 at 11:55 am #
So Julie, you continue to amaze me with the way you can “throw” together an amazing meal. I keep trying! We have one of those weekends where everyone has to be in different places at different times, including over dinner time, so last night we had bacon,lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwiches. Tonight we are having your crock-pot recipe for butter chicken, which by the way received a standing ovation from the family last time I made it. (including my son who hates tomatoes).
Thanks!
Fiona on 07 Jun 2009 at 12:18 pm #
I cannot begin to guess what the Dollar Store “clown” is doing or wearing, though I suspect he’s part of a larger panorama of weirdness. He looks like he’d be right at home in Bizarro.
I’m so glad you posted the lemon curd recipe! I can’t seem to find my grandma’s anywhere, and I’ve been dying to make it again. I’ve had the strongest craving for lemon tarts lately. I think I’m going to make some for my dad’s retirement bbq next weekend.
Kathy on 07 Jun 2009 at 2:08 pm #
All your meals sound awesome ladies. Wow! Our meal last night is quite plain Jane – spaghetti and sauce and veg.
After a day that included having a drywaller here for 4 hours, finding out I’d accidentally washed (and dried) the cell phone, unauthorized charges on said cell phone bill totalling $25 that Rogers claims can’t be reversed (b.s.), dh falling off a ladder while scraping off wallpaper on the one wall while the drywaller worked on the others, I could have cared less about anything fancy for supper.
Kathy on 07 Jun 2009 at 2:15 pm #
Oh and the picture? Kinda reminds me of Tammy Faye Bakker on a bad make up and clothing day.
Pat from Ontario on 07 Jun 2009 at 3:48 pm #
I agree with Melanie.It looks like one of those puzzles with large wooden pieces for younger children. However, that does not explain the weirdness of the clown!
Last night’s dinner was Italian sausages, peppers, zucchini and onions, with honey and balsamic vinegar. (a WW recipe…yummy!)
Julie,is it too late to sponsor Alison?
Dana mccauley on 07 Jun 2009 at 4:47 pm #
I have no idea what that thing is but I know I like the sounds of that dinner! Blackcurrant Curd – love it!
BettyC on 07 Jun 2009 at 6:18 pm #
I think the clown has ‘gender issues’ – maybe best not to comment further.
It must have been the weekend to make No Knead Bread – I was quite excited at the results as I have NEVER made bread in my life before. Ended up baking it in a pottery casserole which proved a bit of a challenge to remove as it has a smaller top than bottom. Note to self: next time bake in something with straight sides!
Yummy, crusty exterior though. Thanks for the making it sound easy enough for me to give it a try!
Haruko on 07 Jun 2009 at 6:19 pm #
Last nights dinner was rack of lamb with a daijon-balsamic vinegar reduction, mashed potato and broccoli. Dessert was tiramasu. I was at a wedding and the meal was lovely.
I agree with many of the comments. There are some neat things at the dollar store but many things that are strange and not worth even a dollar.
doula aj on 07 Jun 2009 at 6:25 pm #
Last night’s dinner – lemon-garlic grilled shrimp (also done in the cast iron pan inside because of the frosty night-my cucumber and tomato plants may never recover) – Edgar Farm roasted asparagus and tagliatelle nests tossed in the leftover lemon-garlic marinade.
The clown – it’s Bozo! I wondered where he had gone since my childhood!
Natalie (Michigan) on 08 Jun 2009 at 4:30 am #
a clown with a duck’s body……
Barb on 08 Jun 2009 at 6:12 am #
Dinner Friday, beef dip and sweet potatoe fries.
erin on 08 Jun 2009 at 6:23 am #
I have to go with Natalie on this one – I think they meant to make clown stickers, but accidently left the duck cutter on the sticker maker. (as you can probably tell, I have no idea how stickers are actually made!)
I would love a copy of that cd. My boys are both really into Kid’s CBC’s Mama Yama and Friends right now, which is ok with me, since there are a lot of good songs. But it’s always nice to mix it up a bit.
Pam on 08 Jun 2009 at 2:26 pm #
okay, I have Trish’s CD and It’s really great! I would like to chime in about the mutant sticker…It is a clown?Yes, with an awful comb-over and if you tilt your head to the right it’s in the shape “childs pose” (like the resting pose in yoga, sort of a baby sleeping with bum in the air)…And I’d like to think it’s wearing an apron, backwards, but definately and apron.
Disturbing. Truely disturbing.
JulieVR on 08 Jun 2009 at 8:38 pm #
I’m going to help Tasha get her website up and running here soon – then you can order it online! If you don’t win a copy here, that is!
Aimee on 09 Jun 2009 at 12:57 pm #
I’m down for some new music–pleeeese! We have a healthy collection for the kids, but my oh my, it’s not enough.
Since it’s pouring rain here, I dusted off the rolling pin and just made a batch of flour tortillas. They will be the wrapper for bean & cheese burritos tonight. Shredded iceburg and piles of sour cream, to go with them, and of course, Margarita for us adults.
Pam on 09 Jun 2009 at 4:57 pm #
Sorry Tasha…not Trish…My mistake. Great CD