Rosh ha-Shanah Pot Roast

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Rub beef with peanut oil, salt and pepper.

2. Step 2

   Add about 2 tablespoons oil to a pot large enough to hold the beef, stock and vegetables. Brown beef on all sides. Add stock to cover; bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer. Eye round should simmer 2 to 2½ hours; brisket must cook longer.

3. Step 3

   While beef is cooking, prepare vegetables. Scrub potatoes; trim and scrub carrots; cut celery and trim and scrub turnips. Cut green part from leeks. Trim the root, leaving just a little so leek will hold together. Rinse thoroughly.

4. Step 4

   Turn on broiler; rinse and stem tomatoes and arrange on broiler pan.

5. Step 5

   Prepare beurre manie by blending butter or margarine with flour to a paste.

6. Step 6

   Twenty minutes before beef is ready, add potatoes, carrots, celery, turnips and leeks. Raise heat to return liquid to simmer; cover and finish cooking.

7. Step 7

   Remove beef and set aside. Remove 8 cups of stock and bring to boil in separate pot. Keep vegetables warm in remaining stock.

8. Step 8

   Gradually beat beurre manie into boiling stock until it has thickened to gravy consistency.

9. Step 9

   Broil tomatoes 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let them burst.

10. Step 10

    Slice beef. Spoon thin layer of gravy on a platter and top with sliced beef. Arrange vegetables around the meat, using tomatoes to provide spots of color. Place spoonfuls of onion confit down center of meat and pass additional gravy.