Standing Rib Roast with Gruyere and Chive Popovers and Au Jus

I was surfing the net for wine parings and I came across this lovely recipe on www.winerychefs.com. I previously posted a recipe for Au Jus using commercial soup bases. This recipe has a lovely Au Jus that is made from scratch.

Serves 6

beef and au jus:
2 onions, halved and cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons garlic, slivered
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf (dry)
2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
4 bone standing rib roast, trimmed and tied*
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

popovers:
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/3 cups whole milk
¼ cup unsalted melted butter
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup gruyere cheese, finely grated
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, melted

beef and au jus:
Preheat the oven to 450°F. In the bottom of a roasting pan add the onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, beef broth and water. Place a flat roasting rack (or cooling rack) into the roasting pan covering the onions and herbs. Generously season the rib roast with salt and pepper. Place roast on the resting rack and place the roast in the oven. Bake for twenty minutes at 450°F. Reduce the heat to 375°F and roast the rib roast to an internal temperature of 130°F. Remove the meat from the oven and place on a sheet pan to rest. Strain the broth at the bottom of the roasting pan through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan. Season the broth (au jus) to taste with coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper if needed and reserve for service.

popovers:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. To make the popovers whisk the eggs and milk together. Stir in the melted butter. Add the chives. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cheese, salt and pepper. Combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix well. Brush a 12 cup non-stick muffin pan with the melted butter. Spoon the batter evenly into muffin pan and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

To serve, carve the meat off the rib bones and slice six generous portions of beef. Set out six plates and place a portion of beef on each plate. Garnish each plate with a popover and ladle two ounces of au jus over beef. Serve with a side of vegetables and potatoes if desired.

* Your butcher can trim and tie the rib roast for you.

Enjoy with a glass of Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon.