Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1              piece  boneless chuck roast (3-pound)
                        salt and freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
  3        tablespoons  all-purpose flour
  3        tablespoons  extra virgin olive oil
  2        tablespoons  unsalted butter
  3             pounds  onions -- peeled and thinly sliced
  1                     bay leaf
  6                     garlic cloves -- peeled and thinly
                        sliced
     1/4      teaspoon  red pepper flakes
  2             sprigs  fresh thyme
  2 1/2           cups  white wine
  1                cup  marsala
  6 1/2           cups  chicken stock

Preparation:

Season the roast with salt and pepper and dust it with the flour. Place the olive oil and butter in a large stockpot over medium heat and brown the roast evenly on all sides. Remove the roast to a platter and place the onions, bay leaf, garlic, red pepper and thyme in the pot. Lightly season with salt and pepper and, stirring periodically, saute for 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions are wilted. Add the white wine and marsala, bring to a boil and reduce the liquid by half. Add the roast back to the pot with the stock, adjust the seasonings and allow to come back to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot and allow to cook slowly for 2 hours, turning the meat every 1/2 hour, until fork tender. Remove the meat from the pot and keep it warm on a covered platter. Raise the heat, bring the sauce to a boil and reduce by half. You should end up with a gravy that is light brown in color and the consistency of heavy cream. Remove the string from the roast, cut it into thin slices, remove the thyme and bay leaf from the sauce. Spoon the sauce, including the onions, on top of the meat slices and serve. RUGGERIO TO GO

Nutritional Information:

1685 Calories (kcal); 67g Total Fat; (47% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 141g Carbohydrate; 62mg Cholesterol; 14030mg Sodium