Braising like Martha Stewart

I watched the episode of Martha Stewart in which she braised everything in sight. It didn't matter if it had four legs or two if it was meat, it went into the pot with salt, pepper, a few vegetables and simmered until tender.

Being alone for awhile, I am less ambitious in the kitchen cooking small quantities and such, but I decided to get a pot roast to braise. I got the smallest one possible, yet I knew that there would be at least four days of beef in the refrigerator.

The first day, the pot roast came with carrots, celery and onions. I sliced about 1/4 of the roast thinly and served with hot horseradish. It was a little tough, even though I thought that I had cooked it sufficiently long and slow.  I chewed and chewed it, motivated by having to have more horseradish.

After the first meal, I cut off another 1/4 of the original to be used in chili the next day. The balance was set aside for future meals.

I made the chili using finely chopped pot roast, and on the second cooking, the beef was tender and tasty.

On the third day, I made something resembling steak au poivre. Substituting pot roast for steak, I made a mushroom gravy with finely sliced pot roast. I could have done noodles and called it Stroganoff. However, since I had fresh organic whole grain bread, I made toast and served the mixture on that with spinach on the side.

On the fourth day, I was back to thinly sliced beef on bread with a tomato and horseradish sandwich, knowing very well that I would be chewing a long time.

Finally, I am finished with the beef project. I am moving on from braising.

You know that Martha got the recipes while she was in the penitentiary?

http://www.pbs.org/food/features/martha-stewarts-cooking-school-braising-episode/

I am glad they let you out.