Pot Roast with Winter Vegetables From Jesse Cool Having gone through lean financial times, I learned how to cook with cuts of meat that are less expensive and typically need slow cooking to tenderize the meat. Chuck or pot roast is a cut of beef that I love. Through hours of cooking over low heat, the meat becomes tender, absorbing seasonings and flavors of the ingredients that are cooked alongside. 1 organic or natural chuck or bottom round roast (about 3 pounds) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 cups organic vegetable or beef broth 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 10 large garlic cloves, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 3 large organic sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks 3 large organic leeks, whites only, sliced and washed thoroughly 12 dried apricot halves, chopped Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place the roast in a large roasting pan and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes, turning once. Meanwhile, in a large measuring cup, combine the broth, mustard, garlic, and thyme. Reduce the heat to 350°F. Pour the broth mixture over the meat, cover, and roast for 1 hour. Add the sweet potatoes, leeks, and apricots. Roast for 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender when tested with a fork. Makes 8 servings. Jesse Cool is author of Simply Organic: A Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal, and Local Ingredients, owner of CoolEatz Restaurants and Catering, and lives in Menlo Park, California. Photo by Lisa Koenig