Christmas Dinner Recipes

Every year for Christmas I prepare a prime rib, and the heady scent of the roasting meat and spices imbues the house with a delicious holiday feeling. Of course, this year we will also have two vegetarians joining us, my sister and my newly veggie daughter, so they will probably not feel the same way about the aroma, but there are always plenty of other dishes for them to enjoy. I don't believe in a main course - but that all courses are created equally and should be prepared with love and care. However, that being said, this prime rib recipe has a special place in my heart and our tradition as it is the only time of year we have it. I hope that you also enjoy it, if you choose to make it.

First, make sure you order your prime rib from the butcher at your favorite grocery store, because there is no guarantee that they will have what you want if you don't order in advance. You should always order one that's a bit bigger than what you need for dinner, because it's great to have leftovers. I believe a pound per person allows for adequate leftovers. Also check for upcoming sales. My local grocery store always has a half-price sale on prime rib the week before Christmas. I arrange to pick it up about two days before the holiday so it's fresh and ready to prepare.

Cooking the prime rib is not very difficult; it just takes some preparation and attention to detail. First of all, my recipe doesn't call for a specific roasting time. It depends upon the size of the roast, your oven temperature, and if you are cooking other things along with it, as this will lower the temperature of the oven. So it's important to have a reliable meat thermometer so you can make sure it's the proper temperature for you. You should think about your guests and how they like their meat done. It is possible to please everyone with one roast if you are careful. I recommend cooking it only to medium rare - 120 - 125 degrees. Once you remove the meat from the oven it will still cook a bit, so don't leave it in too long. If you have someone who likes their meat well done, sometimes the ends of the roast are appropriate. If they are still not done enough, simply pop their slice along with some pan sauce in a warm oven for a couple of minutes - it will quickly come to the proper temperature. Just don't put it in the microwave or it will get tough and rubbery.

Now for the recipe, which is quite simple and delicious.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a food processor place a whole head of peeled garlic, (yes, a whole head!) 4-5 stripped rosemary stems, a bunch of stripped thyme, the zest of one lemon, ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, and a teaspoon of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Pulse it until it forms a thick paste. (You can use any herbs you like - even dried herbs such as Italian seasoning, Herbs De Provence - just be sure to only use a tablespoon of each as they are much stronger than fresh herbs.)

Next place the roast on a cutting board, pat dry with paper towels and liberally season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. It's important to do this as it's a big cut of meat and needs a lot of seasoning.

Next rub the roast all over with the paste. Place it in your roasting rack and pan. Pour beef stock and/or dry red wine into the bottom of the pan - about ½ cup. This will provide some steam, and also help flavor the flavor of the pan sauce at the end.

After about 20 minutes reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Roast until the temperature in the center of the meat is 120 - 125 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 45 minutes. If there is a lot of fat in the pan, drain off all but about 2 tablespoons. Put the pan on medium heat on the stove and whisk in a couple of tablespoons of flour. After it cooks for a minute, add 1 cup of dry red wine, or ½ cup of beef stock and ½ cup of dry red wine. Let thicken and reduce for about 3-5 minutes. You can also make this sauce without the fat and flour - just add the wine to the hot pan and reduce down for about 5-10 minutes. It will be more like an au jus sauce.

Finally you are ready to slice and serve your meat. It's nice to put all the slices on a platter and have the sauce or gravy in a separate container so people can add as much or as little as they like. You can also prepare a quick horseradish sauce that is both healthy and delicious. Mix ¼ cup fat free sour cream with ¼ cup light mayonnaise and ¼ cup prepared horseradish. Stir in a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Remember that this recipe is versatile in its flavors, as long as you pay attention to time and temperature. I hope that you enjoy this prime rib recipe and that it becomes a wonderful tradition in your family. Merry Christmas!