Beef Pot Roast

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 pound beef roast
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• dash of black pepper
• pinch of ginger
• 1 to 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 stalks celery, cut into large pieces
• piece of green pepper
• 1 tomato, cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
• small piece of yellow turnip (or rutabaga)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 wine or sherry

Directions:

• Wipe the meat with a paper towel to dry it. Mix together the flour, salt, pepper and ginger. Rub mixture on all sides of the meat.
• Heat the oil in a heavy roasting pot. Brown the meat on all sides. Place the vegetables around the roast. Pour water and wine or sherry over the roast. Place lid on the pot and simmer on the stovetop for about 3 hours. This pot roast can also be baked in the oven at a medium heat (about 350ºF) for the same length of time.

For the gravy:

• 1 heaping tablespoon flour
• 1 to 2 cups water

Remove meat. To the essence in the pan add the heaping tablespoon of flour plus the water. Cook, stirring often, until thick. Strain the gravy (including the vegetables)) through a sieve. Makes a most delicious gravy.
Variation:
If you don’t want to use sherry or wine to flavor the pot roast, substitute an equal amount of beef broth.