I’ve teamed up with Honest Cooking and Rioja Wine to share a savory recipe for a rosemary and garlic crusted rib eye roast. Perhaps not a dish you’ll cook everyday, but rather a special occasion kind of meal. A gather-around-the-table with your family and friends, celebration kind of meal. An impress your family/friends with your stellar cooking kind of meal. A better than going out to a restaurant kind of meal.
And the best part, this dish is super easy to prepare.
Simply sear the meat, coat with the garlic-rosemary mixture, and roast in the oven for 20 minutes or so. While the beef is cooking, saute the mushrooms. When the roast comes out, let the meat rest while you create a deeply-satisfying pan sauce. Serve with roasted potatoes and a side of greens. Simple. Done.
Now that you’ve got dinner figured out, you’ll need some wine to complete and enjoy with the meal. Consider a full-bodied, red wine to complement the the flavors of the roast and the mushrooms.
Hailing from North-Central Spain, Rioja refers to the wine as well as the region from which it comes. Made predominately from the tempranillo grape, Rioja wines are one of only two D.O.C regions in Spain and all Rioja wines are always regulated so you can be sure you are buying a quality bottle every time.
Traditional Reserva Rioja wine showcases a blend of soft fruits, leathery undertones, and subtle black pepper spice. Reservas offer notes of dark fruits like plums and dried cherries. These wines are ideal with tender, slow roasted game meats and flavorful, hearty beef dishes. The fruits and cracked pepper hints of the wine are an ideal match for the rosemary and garlic that become caramelized with this roast as it cooks. Its earthier tones are also a delicious fit with the mushroom and pan glaze that this holiday star is served with.
Rioja’s Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are made from the best vintages and are aged in the bottles by the winemakers before release. Aged at least three years, and usually longer, before release, these wines have refined character.
Cheers! Salud!
Used a combination of portobello and cremini mushrooms (baby portobello), but you could use any variety of mushroom you like.
A few photos of the beautiful Rioja countryside from a recent trip to Spain (snapped while traversing the Camino de Santiago). Consumed a fair amount of Rioja wine along the way (‘no vino, no Camino’).
The Holiday Flavors of Rioja: Rosemary & Garlic Crusted Rib Eye Roast
3-pound boneless rib eye roast
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped (or other favorite herbs)
1/4 cup garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups of a variety of mushrooms, chopped to about the same size
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup of stock
2 tablespoons butter
Tie the meat. More info here on tying roasts. My rib eye roast came already tied.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Mix together the rosemary and garlic (added a little olive oil to the mixture to help it stick together). Set aside.
Season the rib eye with salt and pepper. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed, oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the oil. Sear the meat on all sides.
Coat the meat with the herb-garlic mixture. Roast in the preheated oven until medium-rare, about 20 minutes.
While the meat is roasting, sauté the mushrooms with butter. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the meat from the skillet and set the meat aside to rest. Bring the skillet to the stove top. Add the stock to the skillet and *deglaze over moderately-high heat, being sure to scrape the bits on the bottom. Simmer until thick.
Add the mushrooms to the sauce and serve the roast, sliced, with accompanying mushroom sauce. Garnish serving platter with fresh rosemary if desired.
*Added a splash of dry sherry (or red wine) and pat of butter to the pan sauce along with the stock (optional but tasty).
