Monday, February 16, 2009

Angel Food

This was dinner for Valentine's Day. It is a rolled-up rib cap from a standing rib roast (that we had for Christmas — freezers are wonderful).
I really liked carving off this sheath of meat and trimming the fat and silverskin. Rolling it, too. Cranky helped with the tying of twine (man, he is really stingy with twine, but it worked).
Best of all, it roasted in just 17 minutes. No lie. Oven at 400ºF, roast until internal temp is 130ºF. This was a rather petite roast, but that was really fast. Perfect for two lovers.
We accompanied our meat with horseradish-buttermilk mashed potatoes, and garlicky spinach. I'm back on spinach, after a few years on the hard stuff (kale, chard, mustard greens, etc.). I love how silky it is.
I'm still full.
By the way, Julia Child was apparently on record as saying this is an inferior cut of meat. She argued that if your butcher sold you a rib roast with the cap on, he was gypping you. That's because it's so tender and fatty, it cooks really fast. When you leave it on the roast, it's going to turn brown before the roast reaches rare. We don't want that! Carve it off! Roll it up and freeze it for later.
I'm so glad I discovered this option. We have a new holiday tradition.

21 comments:

Zoomie said...

This one looks almost as phallic as your Valentine's Day post - and even more delicious. Oops.

Michelle said...

Ha ha ha - You and zoomie are two peas in a pod, Cookie. Her comment is as funny as your v-day post! This roast sounds so great, I love that you find ways to use everything - tea light holders, broccoli stems, even rib roast caps! Bravo!

cookiecrumb said...

Zoomie: And to think we're supposed to be celebrating a saint! Saints don't have phalluses, do they?

Michelle: Ha ha. We are dirty old ladies. Frugal dirty old ladies.

Elizabeth said...

I must admit, after seeing the word "sheath", I found it hard (ahem!) to think about meat (ahem!!) in any other context ...

But this is the second time you've recommended this particular cut, and I'm going to have to have a talk with the local butcher and see if I can get my hands on this bit of deliciousness.

Brittany said...

Looks delicious, and it's a great Valentine's gift to your man
...you know, after the chocolate....

Sweet Bird said...

This is hawt

Anna Haight said...

Tied up huh? hmmm...

Ms Brown Mouse said...

I am wildly profligate with twine; we go through balls and balls of it. I’m very good at tying things up though! (which may be why I managed to convince some of my pretend change of profession *wink*).

pea said...

i hardly ever eat meat these days, but that looks scrumptious and divine. i always loved that cut/ scrap. and i love that you referred to yourselves as lovers. so sweet.

michael, claudia and sierra said...

perfectly lovely dinner...
very romantic
chocolate works for me in any shape or form

Kevin said...

CC,
I'm so happy to discover someone else who likes horseradish mashed potatoes - I think they beat the hell out of garlic mashers. Haven't tried the buttermilk though - now on my list.

Zoomie said...

Saints _do_ have phalluses, they just don't use them.

Anonymous said...

Do you want to know how good you are...? ... I'll tell you.

You have caused me to drool - not once, but twice - over the same dish! The same dish you have had me dreaming about for months!!!

Dang, that's pretty freaking good!!

Cheers,

~ Paula

kudzu said...

I do wish you hadn't published this. I have been sitting inside during the rainstorms, unwilling to go to the market, and I keep thinking of that succulent beef in all its juiciness. Damn.

cookiecrumb said...

Elizabeth: After two meals of this delicious roasted angel, I must heartily recommend you try to find some. It is SO tender, and tastes exactly like prime rib, but fattier.

Brittany: And *he* cooked it!

Sweet Bird: Can't be beat. Nice, tidy little bundle of meat for a pair of lovebirds.

Anna: I know. There are other double entendres that "come" to mind, but let's not go there.

Morgan: I'm totally convinced you are a dominatrix.
You had me at "twine."

Pea: You know how vegetarians always say they miss bacon? If I quit eating beef, I'd miss this little beauty.

ceFRET: Is it still romantic if we ate it while the sun was still up?

Zoomie: Or if they use them, they use them for good.

Paula: This is the essential beef experience. It's not all mouthful-of-meat like filet mignon... it's mitigated by the tenderness and the fat, and the fact that it's rolled up (therefore not solid). Drool!

Kudzu: I am SO sorry. I know exactly how you feel. I'm only fortunate that I had this baby in the freezer, because sometimes the grocery store is just too far.

Heather said...

That is a fantastic tip, and I will totally remember that for next time. I've been meaning to make a trip to Cash and Carry for some beef.

cookiecrumb said...

Heather: You will love it better than the prime rib.
Wow, you guys have some pretty interesting store names in Portland. Liquor Store 141, Cash and Carry, Guns & Stuff...

peter said...

But... I thought you were going to sous-vide it?

cookiecrumb said...

Peter: I know. I loved your suggestion, but I guess I was jonesing for a little Maillard reaction.

peter said...

But then you sear it in a smoking pan with duck or bacon fat to get it all Maillardy right before serving.

cookiecrumb said...

Peter: I knew you were going to say that. And I really do want to experiment with sous-vide. So, next time, I promise. We already want a rib cap again, soon.