Persian Pot Roast

Preheat oven to 325F (165C). In a heavy flameproof casserole or Dutch oven with a lid, heat oil over medium heat. Add rump roast; brown on all sides. When roast is brown, pour off all fat and pan juices. Scatter onion and garlic slices around roast. Season n with cinnamon, pepper, ginger, and orange zest. Add tomatoes and stock. Bring to a simmer.

Cover and bake until meat is fork tender, about2 1/4 hours. Turn meat and baste with pan juices 2 to 3 times during cooking time. When roast is done, remove meat from casserole; keep warm. Skim any fat from the pan juices. Return casserole to stove. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by half. Pour sauce through a sieve, pressing solids to extract their flavor and thicken the sauce. Return strained sauce to casserole. Discard solids. Add pomegranate seeds to sauce. Simmer until heated through.

Transfer roast to a carving board and slice against the grain into 1/4-inch (.75 cm) slices. Arrange slices on a heated serving platter. Nap with sauce. Sprinkle with ground walnuts. (Making 12 servings)