The Pink Hobart

Prime Rib Recipe for Mama and Miz Ro-Ro!

Prime Rib
Originally uploaded by unclj0

This picture ain't really this recipe, but it's a nice piece of meat anyhoo.

Rib Roast with Mustard Rub and Herb Crust

1 rib roast with at least three to 5 ribs
1-1/2 cups coarse-grain mustard
3/4 cup. maple syrup or honey
½-3/4 cup dried mixed herbs (I like an Herbs de Provence or “Italian” blend)
2 Tbsp each garlic, onion powder
1 Tbsp. kosher salt (plus more for seasoning meat)
1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper (plus more for seasoning meat)

2 Tbsp. canola, grape seed or safflower oil


About an hour before cooking, take the rib roast from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.

Trim the roast of any tough outer fat but do not remove any soft fat underneath. Unless it’s already been tied for you, tie twine between each rib to hold the outer flap of meat onto the roast. If this piece is not secured it will shrink and pull away from rib-eye muscle and overcook.

Heat your oven to 250 F. and place a rack in the center of your oven. Meanwhile, combine the mustard with maple syrup or honey. Dilute with 1-2Tbsp. water as needed to make a moist “paste”. Set aside.

Combine seasonings and adjust for salt and/or pepper if needed.

Rub the roast well with additional salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-bottomed roasting pan over two burners with 2 Tbsp. canola, grape seed or safflower oil. When the oil is shimmering on the surface (not smoking), carefully brown the meat on all four sides. Remove the meat to a nonslip surface. With a basting brush or your hands, rub mustard paste over the meat on all sides. You may not need all the paste, just make sure it’s all over the roast. When well coated, press the seasoning into the paste. Again, you may not need all the seasoning; use enough to cover the paste fairly well.

Fit the roasting pan with a roasting rack and set the roast on it with ribs pointing upward.

Roast the meat for 2/12 to 3-1/2 hours, until an instant-read thermometer registers 130 F when placed in the thickest part of the roast. If you’d like more color on your crust, turn your broiler on low for 2-3 minutes, making sure to leave the door partially ajar. Turn the roasting pan as necessary to ensure an even color.

Remove from oven and tent the roast with some aluminum foil. Let the roast stand for 20-30 minutes before carving.

Remove roast to a carving board. With the ribs still pointing up, use a carving knife to cut the ribs away from the roast. Cut diagonally from the tip of the ribs down toward the bottom of the roast with two or three slices, anchoring the roast on the other side with a carving knife. Then set the roast cut-side down and slice it against the grain into slices. Serves 6-8.

A Cold-Weather Feast: Cioppino

This recipe makes great use of the shells of the shrimp-don't discard them!  Instead, make your very own shrimp stock by sauteing them in the pan first.  Later, they're removed, wrapped in cheesecloth, and dropped back into the stew.  Get the most of what you've got!

Cioppino

Italian-style Seafood Stew

 

Serves 6 to 8

 

• 1 pound medium shrimp, shell on
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 2 onions, small dice
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flake
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 each green and red bell pepper,
•    small dice
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups red wine
• 28-ounce can whole roasted
•     plum tomatoes
• 1 cup clam juice
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 pounds clams, shell on
• 1 pound white fish, such as cod or
•     halibut, cut in bite-size pieces
• ¾ pound sea scallops
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

 

 

Rinse, peel and de-vein the shrimp, reserving the shells. 

 

Heat oil in an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat until it shimmers. Sauté the shrimp shells until they have turned pink, then remove them from the pan and place them in an 8 by 8 inch square of cheesecloth. Tie the corners of the cheesecloth and set aside.

 

Add onion to the pan and sauté until fragrant. Add garlic, bay, oregano, red pepper, black pepper and bell peppers. Stir well and sauté until the peppers are soft. Add tomato paste and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, until it gets fairly brown.  Add red wine, stir well and bring to a high simmer, reducing the wine by half.  Crush tomatoes by hand or chop roughly. Add tomatoes, clam juice, stock and shrimp shells in cheesecloth. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes. 

 

Lightly salt and pepper the fish and scallops and then add to the soup along with the shrimp. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add clams. When clams have opened, turn off the heat and add parsley. Stir well and garnish with basil. Serve with toasted garlic bread.