Recipe: Aurochs Roasted with Leeks

Again, I found myself flipping through the pages of the Game of Thrones cookbook that I gave to Mike for this past Christmas. So far, I must admit that this has been well worth the money that I paid for it, especially because it's always a toss up to how good the food will really taste when it's based off of a book or movie series...in this case, both.

I have repeated a few recipes already from this book, and foresee doing it again and again. Have I found the "go to" cookbook?

As I flipped through the pages, I found this recipe. I wrote it down, and thought that this would be a good one to try, as we usually never have roasts. It's very seldom that we do, and I think that with how much Mike and I liked this recipe, we might be having roasts more often.


Also, in case you're not familiar with an Auroch, it's a cross between a mammoth and a cow. Picture a mammoth sized cow... =) Imagine killing and feeding your entire village with that!

So, because the recipe is called Aurochs Roasted with Leeks, just keep in mind that aurochs have long since been extinct and beef or bison roasts will do just fine. =)


Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

Top round roast of bison or beef, about 3 pounds (I used close to 6, just for leftovers)

6 leeks, white and light green parts only, well washed and sliced (I bought 2 mainly because that's what the store had left)

4 carrots, washed and sliced (I used more than 4, just to help add volume)

1 head of garlic, broken into cloves and peeled (I'm sure that if you can find pre-peeled ones, that's best)

Small bunch of fresh thyme, rosemary, bay, sage or a mixture (I used rosemary and sage)

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Broth or water for basting, if needed (I didn't need it)


Preheat oven to 400*. Take roast out of fridge 30 minutes before it goes into the oven!

Place the vegetables, garlic, and herbs into a roasting tray, or similar dish and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to make sure that everything is coated.
Drizzle oil over the beef, then liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place meat directly on top of the vegetables.
Place the tray in the preheated oven and cook for around 1 hour. Near the end of this time, check for done-ness with a meat thermometer. 145* should be about medium.
Check the vegetables halfway through the cooking process. If they look dry, baste them and the meat with juices from the tray. This is where you can add a splash of broth or water into the tray, and use that. Basting will keep the vegetables from scorching.
When meat is cooked to your satisfaction, transfer it to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. (I left mine in the tray to rest, giving the vegetables a little more juice) Slice it thinly and serve it. Serve with the vegetables.

Enjoy!