Lillian Hellman's Pot Roast

Yes, she was a great writer. Yes, she and Dash seem an odd couple to me. But, yes, and most important today, she is also the acknowledged originator of "Lillian Hellman's Pot Roast"--at least as found in Nora Ephron's thinly disguised roman a clef, Heartburn. Its aromatic fragrance is wafting toward me from the oven as I write this, seeping through the lid of its heavy, enamel-clad iron Dansk casserole. I alter this recipe slightly when I make it, adding a bed of chunks of carrots and potatoes before adding the beef, as well as halving the quantity of meat. As the cliche goes, this is even better upon re-heating. And that's a good thing for me, since it will be my dinner for several days!

Lillian Hellman's Pot Roast

4 - 5 pound pot roast
1 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 empty can of red wine
1 empty can of water
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil

Put pot roast in an ovenproof casserole. Combine all other ingredients. Pour over meat. Cover with lid and bake at 350 degrees F for 3 1/2 hours.

Purchase "Heartburn" by Nora Ephron at amazon.com.