Allez cuisine!

Ever had one of those lazy days where you just didn't feel like doing anything at all? That was me this past Saturday, the result of which was that I spent the better part of the day just watching the Food Network. This in turn caused me to produce the following three recipes that night in true Iron Chef style. The not-so-secret ingredient? Chuck Roast, a fairly cheap but highly versatile cut of beef. It may not be the best for steaks, but it is still delicious in so many different ways. These dishes were made from a single 3lb slab of the stuff.

-=Appetizer: Pan-Fried Beef With Sauteed Kale and Pancetta=-

8 oz Chuck Roast
2 oz Pancetta
1 bunch Kale
Honey
Red Wine Vinegar
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Pepper

Begin by cutting the beef into bite sized cubes, chopping the kale into small pieces and dicing the pancetta. Liberally coat a skillet with olive oil and heat on high. When the oil is hot, add the beef, stirring often to allow for even cooking. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste. Sear all sides of the meat quickly, then turn the heat down to medium and let it cook for a few minutes. In the meantime, combine 2 parts oil, 1 part vinegar, and 1 part honey to make a simple sauce. Stir until even and set aside. When the beef is mostly cooked through, add the kale and pancetta to the skillet and turn the heat back up to high. Stir often, and remove from heat once the kale is cooked, no more than a minute or two. Serve immediately, drizzling the sauce over the top.

-=1st Course: Mango Curried Beef with Mushroom Gravy and Almond Couscous=-

8 oz Chuck Roast

4 oz Mixed Mushrooms
1 Mango

Turmeric

Garlic Salt

Curry Powder

Chili Powder

Cinnamon

Fresh Parsley

Cream

Flour

Sherry

1 cup Couscous

Sliced Almonds

Heat approximately 2 cups of water in a large wok. Cut the beef into bite sized chunks and add it to the wok when the water is near boiling. Cook on medium-high for about 5 minutes, then turn it down to low. Strain the liquid, and return half of it to the wok, putting the rest in a separate saucepot. Heat the liquid on medium, then add the mushrooms, sherry, 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon, and approximately 1/4 - 1/3 cup flour to thicken the gravy. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally. When the sauce has thickened, pour it over the beef and stir until even. Add 1/4 cup cream, some parsley, 1 Tbsp turmeric and 2 Tbsp curry powder, plus garlic salt and chili powder to taste. Cut the mango into cubes and stir it in. In a separate pot, boil the couscous in a little over 1 cup of water. Add the almonds and a splash of cream, stir, and remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve the curry over the couscous.

-=2nd Course: Roast Chuck Roast=-

2 lb Chuck Roast

1/4 lb Bacon

2 Carrots

1 Onion

Honey

Red wine vinegar

Place the roast in a baking dish and cover with the bacon. Slice the carrots and loosely chop the onions and place them around the roast. Add 1-2 cups water to the dish. Add a small drizzle of olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar. Drizzle some honey over the bacon. Bake at 350 for about 1.5 hours