Milanese Braised Beef

Ingredients

• 1  bay leaf 
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black divided freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1 tablespoon canola oil 
• 4  carrots peeled cut into (3/8-inch-thick) slices ( 12 ounces)
• 2 cups chianti 
• 3 pound chuck roast boneless trimmed
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
• 3 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 3 sprigs basil fresh
• 3 sprigs marjoram fresh
• 3  garlic cloves sliced
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 0.1 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1.3 cups less-sodium beef broth fat-free
• 1.5 cups onion chopped
• 1 cup pancetta cubed () ( 4 ounces)
• 6  parsnips peeled cut into (3/8-inch-thick) slices ( 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1.3 teaspoons salt divided
• 0.3 cup water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• sieve
• dutch oven
• cheesecloth
• kitchen twine

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 30
2. Combine flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, cinnamon, and cloves, stirring well. Make several small slits on outside of roast with a paring knife; stuff with pancetta and garlic slices.
3. Roll roast; secure at 1-inch intervals with twine.
4. Sprinkle roast with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Coat surface of roast with flour mixture, patting with your hands so it adheres.
5. Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
6. Add roast to pan; cook 15 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.
7. Add onion to pan around roast; cook 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in wine and broth.
8. Place basil, marjoram, and bay leaf on a double layer of cheesecloth. Gather edges of cloth together; tie securely.
9. Add cheesecloth bag to pan; bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 300 for 2 1/2 hours, turning roast every 45 minutes. Nestle carrots and parsnips in pan; cook 1 hour or until roast is tender enough to cut with a spoon.
10. Transfer roast and vegetables to a platter. Discard twine; keep beef warm. Strain wine mixture through a sieve into a large bowl; discard cheesecloth bag. Return wine mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes.
11. Combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
12. Add cornstarch mixture to pan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
13. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.
14. Wine note: Pinot noir is a nice match for this classic casserole because the dish incorporates many flavors found in pinot (cinnamon, cloves, meat, black pepper, bay), plus the wine's hint of cherry is a sumptuous contrast to the savoriness of all those slow-cooked beefy flavors. A favorite pinot: Cambria "Julia's Vineyard" Pinot Noir 2006 ($2
15. from California's Santa Maria Valley. Karen MacNeil