Pot Roast in Fruit-Infused Gravy

You can substitute 8 medium red potatoes, washed and halved or quartered, for the parsnips. To truly infuse the fruit flavors into the gravy, use an immersion blender to purée the fruit before you begin making the gravy in Step 3.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled minced
• 1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (3-pound) boneless beef chuck roast
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 1 cup pitted prunes (dried plums), cut in half
• 2 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 (1-pound) bag of baby carrots
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1. In a small bowl, stir together garlic, sage, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Spread the garlic mixture over both sides of the meat. Add the oil to a large skillet and bring it to temperature over medium-high heat; add the roast and brown it on both sides. Add the browned roast to the slow cooker. Pour the broth over roast. Add the onion, prunes, apples, parsnips, and baby carrots. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
2. With a slotted spoon transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving platter; cover and keep warm.
3. Skim the fat off the juices that remain in the pan. Add water if necessary to bring the pan juices to 1 ½ cups. Increase the heat setting to high; cover and cook until the liquid bubbles around the edges. In a bowl, mix the butter, flour, and ½ cup of the pan juices together, and then whisk into the slow cooker. Cook, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes or until the flour taste is cooked out of the gravy and it’s thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Serve the gravy over the roast, vegetables, and fruit.

Adding a German Influence

Stir several finely crushed ginger snaps into the pan juices before you add the flour mixture. Once it’s thickened, substitute red wine or apple cider vinegar for the balsamic vinegar.