Horseradish, Garlic & Rosemary Encrusted Roast Beef Served with Au Gratin Potatoes

Fall is here. Not officially of course, but in this house it might as well be. School is back in session. Weeknights are filled with carting the kids back and forth to their cheer practices and weekends are consumed with township football games. Why just today, I noticed that some of the leaves are starting to change. Where did this year go?? So after a fun filled weekend of Bunco, birthday parties and football, I wanted to ring in our first game(well at least the first game I attended-we were away over Labor Day weekend) by making a roast beef dinner after we got home and just relax for the what was left of the weekend. I definitely tend to cook differently in the fall/winter months vs. the spring/summer; as I'm sure most of you do as well. When the weather starts to get cooler, my family and I long for comfort food and this is a good one. Plus, it was a big enough roast that I would more than likely have leftovers (so I could make my Beef Barley Soup the next night...recipe to follow!) If you're not sure which cut of meat to buy, here is a guide:

Horseradish, Garlic & Rosemary Encrusted Roast Beef
2-3lb. Beef Eye Round or Beef Round Top Round Roast
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Prepared Horseradish
1 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
2 Cups Beef Broth

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, horseradish, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper until it forms a paste. Add meat to a baking dish and spread the mixture on top. Add 1 cup of the beef broth to the bottom of the pan and place in the oven. Cook for approximately 1hour or until desired doneness. Baste every 30 minutes and add the remaining beef broth when the roast is halfway done. (Don't add all of the broth in the beginning or you will boil your meat). Serves 4-6.

To make gravy:
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1-2 tsp. Cold Water
Pan Drippings

Mix the cornstarch and water together until the cornstarch has dissolved. Add the pan drippings to a small pot and heat over medium-high heat. Gradually add the cornstarch mixture and stir continuously until your gravy has thickened.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 384, Carbs .8g, Fat 16.3g, Protein 55.2g, Fiber .1g, Sugar .2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

I normally make a traditional mashed potato with this but I was in the mood for Au Gratin potatoes. I have never actually made them before but I must have had them at a relative or friends house though because I found a recipe for them on lined post it paper in my recipe box and must have forgotten about them. So if this is yours, let me know so I can give proper credit where credit is due. =)  This particular recipe; however, called for Gruyere cheese. Which I didn't have. It also called for quite a bit of butter. Which I didn't want to use. So I did adapt it slightly from the original version and boy were these DE..LIC..IOUS!!! They were so creamy (well of course they are, they're made with heavy cream!) and the potatoes were perfectly cooked--not too hard, not too mushy. Though we were all fighting to see who could get most of the browned top (we love burnt edges in this house).

Au Gratin Potatoes
1 1/2 lbs. Russet Potatoes (Approx. 6)
1 Tbsp. Butter
3 oz. Havarti Cheese, shredded
1 Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/8 tsp. Ground Paprika

Peel potatoes, rinse well and slice them into 1/4" thick slices. Melt butter and grease a 9"x9" baking dish.  Place a layer of potatoes, then sprinkle some of each of the cheeses. Layer this way until you reach the top of the pan. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream, salt, pepper and paprika. Pour over the potatoes and bake at 375°F for 1- 1 1/4 hours until the top is bubbly and golden brown. Serves 4-6. 


Enjoy!