Best Pot Roast You've Ever Had

This recipe is inspired by Giada deLaurentis's Stracato with Porcini Mushrooms. I use fresh mushrooms instead of dried porcinis and throw in a nod to the traditional American pot roast with the side veggies. If you're thinking pot roast is tired diner fare, try this. It fits in with dining by candlelight -or- curling up in front of the tv in your pjs and makes awesome leftovers.

Stracato Americano
(Serves 8; or 4 and leftovers)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 3 hrs

3-4 lb chuck roast
salt and pepper
2-3 T olive oil
2-3 lg onions, halved and sliced
8 oz pkg fresh portabello mushrooms, cut into half inch pieces
8 oz pkg fresh italian brown mushrooms, cut into half inch pieces
4-5 cloves garlic, lightly smashed (save other half of head for veggies)
2 cups beef broth
1 cup good red wine
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

3-4 potatoes, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
2-3 cups whole baby carrots
1 T olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup good red wine
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In oven-safe pot, heat olive oil. Pat roast dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Brown in oil on all sides, about 4 minutes a side or until nicely crusted. Remove from pot and let rest in oven-safe casserole. Cook onions in pot until they start to turn transluscent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add mushrooms and cook for one more minute. Pour in wine and loosen browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Lay herbs over the onions and mushrooms, then return roast to pot, leaving juices in the casserole. Pour beef broth over roast.

Lay potatoes in bottom of casserole, then garlic and herbs, then carrots. Pour broth and wine over vegetables. Cover both pot and casserole. Bake pot with roast for 1 hr and then turn it over. Put casserole in with the pot and bake both for 2 more hrs.

Remove meat from pot and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Strain juices from both roast pot and vegetables into skillet and reduce while meat rests. Serve roast sliced and topped with onions and mushrooms with reduced sauce au jus style and vegetables on side, along with warm rustic bread slices.