At this time of the year, I am often asked what beef cut is good for roasting, the kind that’s not too expensive. My answer is the rump. It’s a very flavorful cut of meat that, when cooked with the proper technique, makes for a fantastic roast beef that won’t hurt the budget.

This is how to properly prepare it. I am also adding a Baked Salmon Salad that pairs perfectly with the roast. Enjoy these festive dishes from my Christmas menu that I prepared in class.

Angus Rump Roast Beef

(Inspired by Chef Amir who, insisted that a well-done rump could come close to prime cuts in flavor)6 kg Angus rump, tied

Rump seasoning:2 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp paprika

2 Tbsp Chef Reggie’s Sarawak peppercorn

2 Tbsp Chef Reggie’s Sea Salt

2 Tbsp brown sugar

3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 Tbsp liquid seasoning

4 Tbsp olive oil

Vegetables for roasting: 1 garlic bulb, cut across

2 carrots medium size, washed and cut mirepoix

3 red onions, washed and cut mirepoix

1 stalk celery washed can cut mirepoix

Bring rump to room temperature. Tie the rump. Season and marinate.

Preheat your oven to 210°C /375-400°F for fan-assisted or 230°C/450°F for ovens without a fan (gas 8). After 30 minutes, put the beef fat side up on the pan until color changes, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

Lower temperature to 140°C or 275°F.

Choose a large, heavy-based roasting tray, ideally with deep sides and handles.

Place equal amounts of onion, carrot and celery in the roasting pan and lay the beef on top, fat side up. Place in the center of the oven and roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature.

Continue roasting for 12-15 minutes per 500 g reaching a core temperature of 55°C before resting for a medium-rare roast, approximately 2.5 hours for 6 kg.

Remove from the oven, put on a clean tray and keep warm by covering with a sheet of foil. Rest for a minimum of 20 minutes before carving, leaving the roasted vegetables in the tray for the gravy.

For the gravy:2 c veal stock

Butter

Truffle oil or truffle cream

Deglaze roasting tray with this stock, stirring in all the caramelized juices from the tray. Pass through a fine sieve, pushing all the juices from the vegetables into a clean saucepan. Bring to a simmer and thicken if required by whisking in a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with a little cold water, and reduce till you get a rich, glossy gravy. Add a cube of cold butter to thicken and enhance the flavor of the gravy.

Sides:Roasted tomatoes

Roasted potatoes

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Baby carrots, blanched and tossed in butter Serve with Cauliflower Gratin:

¼ c butter

1 small onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, minced/grated

¼ flour

3 c milk

1 ½ c Gruyère cheese, shredded

Nutmeg, pinch

Salt and pepper to taste

4 cauliflowers, cut by segments, blanched in salt water

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the onion and the garlic. Sprinkle flour. Add the milk and cook until the sauce thickens. Add ½ of the cheese mixture and the nutmeg. Season.Butter the baking dish. Lay ¼ of the mixture on the baking dish. Arrange the cauliflower. Pour the rest of the sauce. Cap with the remaining cheese. Bake in a preheated 350°F/180°C oven until golden.Here’s my festive dish that goes perfectly well with the rump roast:

Baked Salmon Salad with Lemon Dressing

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp Dijon mustard

Fresh dill

2 lemons, sliced into rounds

½ kg salmon, pin bones removed, skin intact

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Mix olive oil and mustard. Brush thinly over salmon. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Sprinkle fresh dill over fish. Top with lemon slices. Bake in a 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes.

Dressing:

1/4 c white wine vinegar

2/3 c extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp chopped fresh dill fronds

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

1 tsp garlic

3 Tbsp sugar

Lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender except oil, zest and seasonings. Blend while adding oil in a fine stream. Process until emulsified. Add zest and season to taste.

Salad:

1⁄2 kg marble potatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 hard-boiled eggs

350 g French beans, blanched

1 Romaine heart, cut into bite-size pieces

Baby carrots, blanched

Chef Reggie’s Salad Mix

1 c cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 c pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half

Edible flowers

Arrange salad around baked salmon. Serve with dressing.

I will be posting the other recipes from “My Christmas Menu” class on Instagram and Facebook. Follow @iamreggieaspiras. Happy cooking and happy holidays from Reggie’s classroom!