Recipe: Chipotle seasoned pot roast

It was a tie this week for our favorite.  The pot roast and the poblano cream sauce.  Both recipes are from Rick Bayless.

3-6 canned chipotle chiles en adobo
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
5 tomatillos
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
3# boneless beef chuck roast, tied into compact shape
1 tbsp olive oil
4 med peeled and sliced carrots
2 peeled and diced (1/2 inch) chayotes (we couldn't find so we used summer squash)
4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Roast unpeeled garlic in a skillet over med heat, turning occasionally, until soft, about 15 min.  Cool and peel.  Roast tomatillos on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler 5 minutes, then flip and roast 5 min more.  Put tomatillos and juices, canned chiles,  and garlic into food processor or blender and process until it's a fine-textured puree.  Stir in 3-4 tbsp water to give it a medium consistency.  Season with salt and sugar.

In a shallow dish, smear meat with the above salsa, cover, refrigerate for up to 24 hours.  When ready to cook the meat, preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Scrape as mush salsa off the meat as possible and reserve  Dry meat with paper towels and sprinkle with salt.  Heat oil in a dutch oven.  When hot, add roast and brown on one side, about 5 min, then brown other side.  Remove roast to plate.  Pour one cup water into pot and boil over med heat, scraping up browned bits.  Stir in reserved salsa, then return roast to pan.  Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours, until the meat is just tender.   Then add the vegetables around the meat, stir to coat, cover and continue cooking until tender 30-45 min.

Transfer meat to serving platter, scoop out veggies and distribute around meat.  Skim off the fat, and if necessary, boil them to reduce until lightly thickened.  There should be about a cup.  Season with salt if necessary.  Pour over meat.  Sprinkle with cilantro and coarse salt.