Eleanora's Kitchen - Italian Beef Roast

ITALIAN BEEF ROAST

Delicious for dinner, delicious as leftovers; doesn’t everyone love a simple roast beef? Served with cipollini onions and peas, this dish has an Italian flair.

Serves 6 to 8

For the Roast:
One 4 ½ to 5 pound eye of round roast beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, cracked
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
3 stalks celery, with leaves
3 cups dry red wine
8 stems fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley , tied with kitchen twine
4 to 5 whole fresh basil leaves

For the Peas and Cipollini
½ pound cipollini, or pearl onions
One 10-ounce box frozen peas
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt

1. Season the roast with ½ teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper and set aside. Add the olive and garlic to a Dutch oven or roasting pan large enough to hold the roast. Place the pot over medium heat and cook for 1 minute. Place the roast in the pot and cook uncovered, turning frequently, until the roast is brown on all sides.

2. Add the onions, the remaining salt and pepper , celery, wine, parsley, and basil and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Turn the roast over, and cook 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat, cover, and let the roast marinate for 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the roast in a roasting pan and pour over the marinade. Add 1 cup cold water and roast, uncovered for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers rare, medium-rare or to desired degree of doneness.

4. While the roast cooks, prepare the peas and cipollini: If using cipollini, trim them and remove 6 to 7 layers of thin outer skin. Rinse, then cook in a large pot of boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes. If using pearl onions, peel and set aside.

5. Cook the peas according to package directions. (Note: if using pearl onions, add them to the peas.) Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the cipollini onions and the salt over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cipollini onions have softened. Add the peas and warm through.

6. Transfer the roast to a serving platter. Strain the pan juices, discarding the solids. Pour the juices over the roast; place the peas and cipollini on the platter with the roast (or serve separately, if desired.) Slice the roast into thin slices and serve with the peas and cipollini.

Note: if using cipollini, trim and remove 6 to 7 layers of outer skin. Rinse, then blanch in boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain, and serve on top of the peas.
If using pearl onions, boil them along with the peas.

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