I'm a wee bit behind in uploading these pictures, but better late than never.
I must admit I was at a loss for this year's Easter Supper. Just not really enthused by any idea that came my way. I suppose that's why I decided to go back to basics and have a simple Sunday Roast. Nothing OTT, nothing garishly glam, no feigned humblebragging.
It's been a few years since I last did a roast beef. I just fell out of the habit, I suppose.
Clockwise, from top left:
Yorkshire Puddings
Roast beef with Horseradish Sauce
Maple Harissa Roasted Carrots
Peas, Dijon'd Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
What I didn't photograph? The apple crumble, but here's the just-out-of-the-oven tweet
Apple crisp for tomorrow's Easter Supper out of the oven and bubbly. pic.twitter.com/0qK7CricBM
— Jasmine (@cardamomaddict) April 4, 2015
I consider roast beef a "back to basics" food. Nothing fancy, nothing pretentious--when sharing a meal with good friends, you don't need pretention. Just a good piece of meat, roasted until burnished on the outside, and blushing in the middle. Delia Smith guided my very first roast, and is the inspiration behind the dusting the meat receives. The temperature and time are from Nigella's How To Cook. I like to have about 250-300g for a boneless roast/ 325-400g for a roast that has a bone, per person. That all said, I tend to overpurchase for a couple of reasons: I think everyone should have as much as they want at a feast, and really...I want leftovers to sustain me through the upcoming days with beef dips, beef and spinach salads and Vietnamese-inspired noodle bowls.
Roast Beef
Serves 4-5 people
1.5kg (3.3lb) roast
15ml/1Tbsp flour
15ml/1Tbsp powdered mustard
15ml/1Tbsp black pepper
10ml/1Dspn/2tsp powdered mushrooms
1-2 onions, sliced in 1cm thick rounds
Salt
Water or stock
Pat the joint with paper towels and let stand, unwrapped in the fridge for 4-24hrs.
Remove from fridge, pat again and let come to room temperature (about 30-45minutes).
Preheat oven to 450F/230C.
When the oven has come to temp, mix the flour, mustard, pepper and powdered mushrooms together and roll the joint in the mixture. Tie the roast with cotton string.
Arrange the onions in the roasting tin, so they become a trivet on which the roast will cook. Place the roast on the onions and lightly sprinkle with salt. Pour a little water or beef broth in the bottom of the tin, to avoid smoking your kitchen.
Roast for 15 minutes. Turn down the oven temp to 180C/350F. Tent the roast with aluminum foil for and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for another 25 minutes (or until the roast's internal temperature reaches whatever safe cooking range, for whatever level of doneness you follow).
Remove from oven and tent with the foil for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Make gravy from the pan drippings, as you normally would. Serve the onions, if you wish as a side dish.
cheers!
jasmine
I'm a quill for hire!
