Classic Prime Rib au Jus MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Like my Grandpa Emmanuel, my mom loves to roast meats and whole fish at very high temps, then let the oven slowly cool for carry-over roasting. You will need a probe thermometer that can be inserted in the meat and read from outside the oven. And before roasting, let your meat stand for 2 to 4 hours, until it comes to room temperature.
PRIME RIB CHRISTOPHER TESTANI
1 (6-pound, 4-bone) prime rib (each rib is 2 portions), boned and tied (your butcher should be able to do this for you) 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1½ tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped 1 tablespoon (1 palmful) dried oregano or marjoram 1 tablespoon (1 palmful) granulated onion 1 tablespoon (1 palmful) granulated garlic EVOO [extra virgin olive oil] for liberal drizzling chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and Au Jus (recipe follows), to serve
to draw because of my aunt, Cheech,” Ray says. “She would paint private homes to look like the Sistine chapel—incredible. She would do tea sets that looked like the three bears and Goldilocks—like, the chairs were painted to be bears and Goldilocks. … And I love being near her. So I love to draw and doodle, and I love to be in the kitchen. Those are the things that make me happy, so that’s what I do.” And that’s what she wants her readers and watchers to do, too: Make the things that will make them happy. “For me and my immediate family, we have largely Mediterranean diets. Good tuna and sardines are staples in our pantry. Olive oil, of course, canned tomatoes, dry beans, you know, the basics—grains, pastas, short grain rice, dried mushrooms, you know, baseline spice blends,” she says. “But honestly, if you love Tex-Mex, that’s what you should have in your pantry. All kinds of canned tomatoes and beans and chilies and dry chilies. And you should really base [your pantry] around how you like to eat. You’ll cook more if you surround yourself with possibilities.” And dinner doesn’t have to be hard. She offers up this recipe for prime rib as an example for the holidays: It takes about 5 minutes to assemble, and then you can pretty much ignore it for the next few hours as it roasts and get on to other things. Whether that’s preparing popovers, painting a picture or whatever else you like to do that makes you happy is up to you.
Au Jus (Makes about 2 cups) 3 to 4 tablespoons beef drippings 2 tablespoons flour 2 cups beef stock or consommé 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Horseradish Sour Cream (Makes about 2 cups) 1½ cups sour cream about ¼ cup prepared or freshly grated horseradish about ¼ cup minced fresh chives 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce 2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper salt, to taste
1. Position the oven rack one rung up from the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F. 2. Place the roast, bones down, in a large cast-iron skillet or in a roasting pan. The ribs make a natural rack for beef. 3. Combine the salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, oregano, granulated onion and granulated garlic. Place a meat thermometer in the center of the roast. Slather the roast with EVOO and rub all of the beef—the top and sides—with the mixture. Place in the oven and roast 5 minutes per pound. Turn the oven off and DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. Roast the beef this way for 2 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135°F. (If your oven doesn’t retain heat well, roast the meat at 325°F to an internal temperature of 125°F, then flash-broil it to crisp the fat.) Let the beef stand for about 15 minutes, or cover it with foil and dishtowels to keep it warm. Carve 2 portions per rib. Serve with Au Jus and parsley and pass Horseradish Sour Cream (instructions follow) at the table. 4. Make the Au Jus: Place the drippings in a small sauce pot and heat over mediumhigh heat. Whisk in the flour and then the stock. Season the gravy with granulated garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat, cover, and reheat over medium heat to serve. 5. Make the Horseradish Sour Cream: Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and chill to serve.
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