New look and flavor for an old winter friend - pot roast - recipes

Sunset, Jan, 1986

A favorite winter standby, pot roast takes on a new look and spicy flavors in this oven-cooked supper.

Seal boned pork, lamb, or beef roast in an edible green leaf wrapping. The leaves--Swiss chard, cabbage, or romaine--help keep the meat moist and, with an overwrap of foil, hold the chili-spiked tomato sauce around the meat as it bakes.

After 2 hours, you add sweet potatoes and onions to the pan to cook alongside the roast. When the meat is done, puncture foil at bottom to drain off juices for soup, and let meat rest. Make the soup from plentiful pan juices and chicken broth. Quickly cook additional greens.

To serve, slice the meltingly juicy roast through the leaf wrapping. Eat with vegetables and more of the chili sauce.

Leaf-wrapped Pot Roast Supper Water 2-1/2 to 3 pounds Swiss chard, 2 large loosely packed heads (1-1/2 lb. each) Savoy or regular cabbage, or 2 large heads (about 1 lb. each) romaine lettuce 1 boned pork shoulder, lamb shoulder, or beef cross-rib roast (3-1/2 to 4 lb.) Chili tomato sauce (recipe follows) 6 to 8 small sweet potatoes or yams (about 2-1/2 lb.) 3 or 4 small unpeeled onions (1-1/2 lb.) About 3 cups regular-strength chicken broth

In a 5- to 6-quart pan, bring about 3 quarts water to boiling. Cut off and discard tough stems from 6 large chard leaves, or gently remove 3 or 4 large outer leaves from each head of cabbage or romaine. Plunge leaves 2 or 3 at a time into boiling water; cook just until limp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lift out; drain. Reserve water and remaining greens.

In the center of a 17- by 25-inch piece of foil, arrange 3 leaves, slightly overlapped, to make a rectangle 2 to 3 inches longer and wider than base of roast. Remove strings from roast. Set meat on leaves and spread 1 cup of chili tomato sauce over top and sides of meat. Cover roast with remaining blanched leaves and wrap foil securely around roast to seal. Place in an 11- by 17-inch roasting pan.

Bake roast in a 360[deg.] oven for 2 hours, then place yams and onions around foil-covered meat. Continue baking until meat is very tender (pierce through top of foil) and potatoes and onions are soft when pressed, 1 to 1-1/4 hours.

Remove pan from oven. Cut onions in half lengthwise; place vegetables on a large platter and keep warm. Puncture foil at base of meat to drain juices. Let wrapped meat stand 15 minutes. Pour juices into a 1-quart measuring cup; skim off and discard fat. Add chicken broth to make 4 cups soup. Transfer soup to a 1-1/2- to 2-quart pan; cover and simmer until hot. To serve, pour into a pitcher or bowl.

Return blanching water to boilding. Cut off and discard tough stems of chard, or, if using romaine or cabbage, cut through core into quarters. Plunge chard leaves into water 4 or 5 at a time, and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute; or immerse romaine or cabbage quarters in boiling water until barely tender when pierced, about 2 minutes for romaine, 5 to 7 minutes for cabbage. Drain. If desired, roll chard leaves into bundles; set on platter.

With wide spatulas, remove meat from foil and transfer to platter with vegetables. Slice meat through leaf wrap. Serve with reserved chili tomato sauce to spoon over meat and vegetables. Ladle soup into small cups to sip. Makes 6 to 8 servings.--Gladys Lee, Burlingame, Calif.

Chili tomato sauce. In a 3- to 4-quart pan, mix 2 cups regular-strength chicken broth, 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste, 3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (including tops), 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons dry sherry or sake, 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons crushed dried hot red chilies, 1/2 teaspoon anise seed, and 1 cinnamon stick (3 in. long). Boil sauce uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes.