Standing Rib Roast with Baby Vegetables

The last few weeks have been very chilly in Canberra, reminding us that it is well and truly winter and with Mum and Dad visiting for the weekend I thought it would be a good opportunity to bake my first roast dinner.

As I'm not experienced in buying cuts of meat I had a slight misunderstanding with the Butcher who cut my Roast into individual portions. I was initially disappointed but decided that it actually created more surface area for the marinade and that I could just tie them back together.

Using the pestle and mortar I made a simple marinade of fresh garlic, parsley, pepper, salt, a bit of thyme and olive oil. Mum and Dad then helped me tie the individual cuts together with some cotton string, courtesy of Hannah. (Thanks Hannah. It worked perfectly!)

I then placed the roast back in the fridge to marinate while we went for a drive to Corin Forrest where it was snowing!!

After researching how to cook a roast, I decided to roughly follow the advice on a Canadian beef farmer's website called Whispering Meadows.

I placed the roast, which was at least a kilo, on a few celery stick in a baking dish and put it in the oven at 180C for maybe 1 1/2 hours, basting it a few times and drizzling it with some red wine and butter. I then took it out, covered it with foil and let it rest for another 20 minutes or so.

While the roast was cooking, Dad and Luke got the potatoes ready with olive oil, salt and rosemary. I washed and prepared the baby carrots, baby beets, baby onions (shallots) and garlic cloves. For the Beetroots, I par-boiled them then finished them in the oven with the rest of the veggies.

Lastly, Mum made a delicious gravy while I steamed the baby brussels.

Yum! The meat was perfectly tender and the veggies were scrumptious and golden.

I think Dada was right... the universe does allow for beginners luck.