Roasting a rib of beef? It's the trimmings that will make the meal really spectacular.
‘How do you cook a rib of beef?” a friend asked. “One that is succulent, rare and dripping with cooking juices.” Much of how I cook is instinctive, and I rarely give much thought to the process, so off I went to the butcher’s, intent on documenting the cooking process, then having lunch when it was all done. As it turned out, the job was easier than it seemed.
Leave as much fat on as you dare, because this gives the meat its flavour. The beef is seasoned simply with salt and pepper. The bone will provide more taste and succulence than any other ingredient could.
If you’re intimidated by the thought of carving, relax, it couldn’t be simpler: insert a sharp knife between the bones, then cut around the knuckle – it doesn’t matter how even the slice is, because once people start eating, no one will care.
Roasted until their edges are crispy, confit potatoes will quickly become a favourite. They don’t need much preparation; peel or scrub them, depending on your mood.
Roast Standing Rib of Beef, Confit Potatoes, Carrot and Onion Marmalade with the Best-Ever Herb Butter
1 prime rib of beef with 4 ribs – about 2kg
salt and black pepper
3 tbsp unsalted butter
Confit potatoes
4 large potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
250g unsalted butter
Marmalade
4 carrots
2 onions
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp honey
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Trim any fat and gristle from the meat, then dust generously with salt and pepper. Dot the butter across the top. Put into a deep roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 150°C and cover the roast with a piece of tinfoil. Cook for 90 minutes for medium rare, or a little longer for well done. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Save the pan juices to spoon over the meat.
While the meat is cooking, peel the potatoes and cut into wedges. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the potatoes and fry for 4-5 minutes until lightly coloured. Tip the potatoes into a small roasting dish and tuck the bay leaves and thyme sprigs in around them. Spread the butter all over the potatoes, season generously with salt and pepper, then roast in the oven until golden brown – about 1 hour.
To make the marmalade, peel the
carrots and slice into matchsticks. Slice the onions thinly. Put the carrot and onion in a saucepan with the butter and honey. Cook gently over a low heat for 30-40 minutes.
Feeds 4 generously.
I will probably be accused of making this column too “cheffy” with this recipe, but only for its list of ingredients. Trust me, my eyes also glaze over at the sight of such a list, but if I am going to the trouble of roasting a rib of beef, then going the extra mile to make this butter doesn’t take much more effort. It is ridiculously simple to make – once all the ingredients are assembled, everything just goes into the food processor. This butter can also be served over pan-fried fish or with steamed mussels or tuatua. It is also magnificent spread over a roasting chicken, as the butter combines with the cooking juices to create the perfect sauce.
Best-Ever Herb Butter
6 leaves of spinach
½ bunch of watercress
2 stalks of parsley
6 stalks of chervil
4 stalks of tarragon
1 bunch of chives
1 small red onion
1 gherkin
2 anchovy fillets
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
2 cloves of garlic
3 hard-cooked egg yolks
2 raw egg yolks
250g unsalted butter
125ml olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
salt and black pepper
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Rinse the spinach and watercress under cold water, then pick the leaves from the parsley, chervil and tarragon. Finely chop the chives and onion. Plunge the spinach, watercress, parsley, chervil, tarragon, chives and onion into the boiling water for 1 minute, then drain in a sieve and rinse under cold water. Squeeze dry and place in a food processor. Add the gherkin, anchovies and capers. Peel and crush the garlic, then add to the processor. Process to a smooth paste, adding the yolks and butter. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil and vinegar. Scrape the butter into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Store in the refrigerator.
My grandmother was an excellent baker, and her fruitcakes were always rich with currants, raisins and prunes. They were moist, with dark, mysterious flavours, and smelt vaguely of sweet spices. There always seemed to be a piece on offer with a cup of tea. I did not know her that well, so much of what I know is anecdotal, but there is something about picking the rubble of cake crumbs off a plate with a thumb and forefinger that always reminds me of her.
I have got this recipe to the point where there’s only one variety of fruit, and the only spice left is vanilla. I’ve also played with various sugars to lighten the flavour. To recapture that nostalgic crumble, I tend to go for generous lumps of date and hazelnut rather than finely chopped pieces. It’s the simplest of fruitcakes, and perfect for afternoon tea.
Date and Hazelnut Cake
250g unsalted butter, softened
250g soft brown sugar
4 drops of vanilla essence
250g self-raising flour
4 eggs
350g dates
80g skinned hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Use a little of the butter and flour to grease and line a 25cm cake tin. Cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, then lower the speed and add the flour. Increase the speed, and add the eggs one at a time until thoroughly mixed. Chop the dates and stir in. Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until golden, then coarsely chop. Mix into the batter on a low speed for 1-2 minutes. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 150°C and cook for a further hour. If the cake appears to be browning too quickly, place a piece of baking paper or foil over the top. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin. Store in an airtight container.
Enough for 8.