Wednesday, February 01, 2006

what's for dinner?

I cooked my very first roast tonight and it turned out so well I thought I'd photograph it and share the recipe. It took a little longer than anticipated but it was worth the wait in the end. And there are leftovers. (Even better, Safeway has roasts on for half price right now.)

Here's the recipe, originally from The Joy of Cooking. I've modified it a little.

Garlic-and-Herb-Studded Sirlion Roast

2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
several stalks of fresh rosemary
3lb sirloin roast

Thinly sliver the garlic, bruise the rosemary and combine together with salt and pepper in a small bowl. Make slits in the roast and insert the seasoned garlic slivers. Rub remaining seasonings over the meat, then marinate, covered, for up to 2 hours at room temperature or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 450 F.

After marinating, place the roast fat side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast uncovered for 10 minutes. Do not remove roast from oven but reduce temperature to 250 F and roast until a meat thermometer reads 145 - 155 F for medium. Approx. time 20-30 minutes per lb. (My roast took quite a bit longer to reach the right temperature but that might just be the oven.)

When desired temperature is reached, remove from pan and place on a carving board. Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve and enjoy! Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed veg.

For gravy I started with a package of Knorr's Demi-glace gravy mix. I replaced the water with the water I boiled the potatoes in, added the pan drippings (including rosemary and garlic from the roast) and finished it off with a heavy splash of red wine (I used Red Truck, a nicer wine than I would usually use for cooking, but it's what was open.)

Yummy yummy.

2 comments:

Robyn said...

what a lovley looking roast! I can't wait to try making it!
Hope you enjoyed it very much!

DAve and JAnie said...

Yummeh!! You are a gourmet chef! Lucky room mates! The photo is making me hungry.. lunch time!

Dave just took your parents to the airport; our house is empty, and no one else is coming to visit... that is until you get here!!! Wow, were mom and dad ever helpful and so much fun to have around too! I am pretty sure they left tired out though, and we hope they get enough sleep tonight before heading back to work tomorrow.

This afternoon (sunday), dave and I are just hanging out with Corrina. If she naps i think we will be napping too! Actually, she went to bed earlier last night: 10:30! Good Girl! Today Corrina went to church for the first time and did an extraordinary job impressing everyone with her major cuteness! Everyone was so excited to see her and swarmed over to us after the service to ohh and ahhh over her (sorta) tiny hands, and cute newborn face! It was so much fun, and she stayed sleeping practically the whole time so we didn't have to worry about her getting hungry or crying. It was good! Oh, i so can't wait until you get here and can cuddle her, and play with her! Well, I think i have written enough here for you! take care sister and Auntie!
Love Janie and Corrina and Dave
Oh, and keep up the wonderful culinary art!