Recipe: Standing Rib Roast with Garlic-Peppercorn Crust

8 to 10 servings

- 4 medium cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

- 1 tablespoon kosher salt

- 1 tablespoon fresh ground medium-coarse mixed peppercorns or black peppercorns (see Kitchen Notes)

- 1 teaspoon dried thyme

- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika

- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

- 1 butcher's-cut standing beef roast, about 5 pounds (see Kitchen Notes)

Gravy:

- 1 package (1.5 ounces) Demi-Glace Gold (see Kitchen Notes)

- 2 ¼ cups water, divided

- ¼ to ½ teaspoon kosher salt

- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

- ½ cup dry red wine

1. In a mortar and using a pestle, crush garlic and kosher salt together to form a paste. (Alternately, crush together in a bowl with the bottom of a wooden spoon, or use a mini food processor.) Add peppercorns, thyme, paprika and olive oil, mixing to form a paste. Rub the paste all over the roast, coating it well. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let stand at room temperature 45 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees 30 minutes before putting roast in oven. Place roast, bone side down, in a large roasting pan and roast 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue roasting about 1 hour, 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees for medium-rare. (The temperature will rise about 5 degrees during the standing time.)

3. While the roast is cooking, prepare the gravy base. Combine the demi-glace, 2 cups water and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the demi-glace. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Whisk flour and remaining ¼ cup cold water together. Whisk into the simmering liquid and continue cooking at a simmer 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. When roast is done, transfer to a carving board and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest 20 minutes before carving. Pour fat out of roasting pan and place pan over two burners on medium heat. When hot, deglaze pan with wine, stirring to dissolve any caramelized juices; simmer 3 minutes. Pour gravy into pan and simmer a couple of minutes, stirring often, to blend the flavors. Transfer to a warmed gravy bowl and serve with the beef.

From "Williams-Sonoma Christmas Entertaining"

Times Kitchen Notes:

Standing Rib Roast with Garlic-Peppercorn Crust

• The commercial blends of green, pink, black and white peppercorns are beautiful and inviting but a waste of money. The pink peppercorn is too delicate a flavor to stand up to the peppery punch of the other varieties, reducing it to mere window dressing. The green, white and black peppercorns, however, are picked at different stages of growth from the same plant and have similar but subtly different flavor notes.

In "The Contemporary Encyclopedia of Herbs & Spices: Seasonings for the Global Kitchen," author Tony Hill writes, "Where blending does make sense is with black and either green or white [peppercorns] but not both. The point of making such a blend is an enhancement of the initial bite or lingering heat, respectively."

• When buying a standing rib roast, look for a butcher's cut. First the rib bones are sliced from the meat to make carving easier, then the bones are tied back on for extra flavor during roasting. Ask your butcher to prepare the roast this way if it's not already in the meat case.

• It's a slow, three-step process to make a classic French demi-glace, so I recommend the concentrated stock from More Than Gourmet as a terrific substitute. We used Demi-Glace Gold in the gravy recipe, which developed a richer, deeper flavor than a canned broth could provide.

Another alternative is Better than Bouillon Beef Base from Superior Taste. Substitute a tablespoon of the base for the demi-glace and follow the instructions in the recipe for making the gravy.

Both products should be stocked with other soups and broths in major supermarkets and specialty food shops.

CeCe Sullivan, Seattle Times home economist