I haven't had much time recently for either cooking or computing. But I found this recipe in Cooks Illustrated, tried it and it is GREAT. My hat is off to Meg Suzuki who came up with the recipe and the folks at Cooking Illustrated who were wise enough to publish her article. This recipe will prepare a roast to the rare/medium-rare level, If you want it Medium - Well you must cook until the roast reaches a temperature 5-10 degrees lower than cook books recommend for the level of doneness you want. The reason for this is when the roast rests it continues to cook the additional 5-10 degrees.

Title: Top Loin Roast with Garlic-Herb Butter
Categories:
Yield: 10 Servings

5.5 lb Top Loin Roast beef
3 T Olive Oil
4 t Kosher Salt
1 T black pepper ground
4 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T sage, fresh, chopped
1 T parsley, fresh, chopped
1.5 t thyme, fresh, chopped
1 garlic, minced
1 ds Salt to taste
1 ds Black pepper, ground, to
- taste

Line baking sheet with paper towels and set flat wire rack over
baking sheet. Pat roast dry with paper towels, then set roast on wire
rack. Refrigerate, uncovered on lowest shelf for 1 to 3 days

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position, heat oven to 250°. Remove
roast from refrigerator; using sharp paring knife, trim off all fat and
silver skin from the roast and shave off hard, dried exterior surfaces.
Rub roast with 2 tablespoons olive oil; let roast stand at room
temperature for 1 hour

Combine salt and pepper in small bowl; season all surface of roast
with salt-pepper mixture, pressing to make salt and pepper adhere. Heat
remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in 12 inch heavy bottomed ovenproof
skillet over medium high heat until smoking; set roast in skillet fat
trimmed side down, and cook until well browned, about 3 minutes. Using
tongs, to turn roast, turn on all sides, 2-3 minutes on each side.
Turn roast fat trimmed side up, set skillet in oven and roast until
instant read thermometer inserted into center registers 1120-125°,
40-50 minutes. Using potholders to handle skillet, transfer roast to
cutting board, loosely tent roast with foil and let rest 20 minutes.

While meat roasts, stir together butter, sage, parsley, thyme, garlic
salt and pepper to taste; set aside until needed. After roast has
rested spread butter evenly over surface of roast. with sharp carving
knife, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices and serve.

Cooking Tip: Some upscale butchers and restaurants age their beef,
unwrapped and refrigerated (carefully monitored), for as long as several
weeks. This process called dry aging dramatically improves the meat's
flavor and texture. Of course using a home refrigerator to age the roast
for weeks is out of the question. The author tried as few as one day and as
many as three. As the roast aged the flavor of the beef changed from
metallic and bloody to mellow, buttery, and nutty. The three day roasts
had the best flavor but aging for even one day made a difference.

Cooking Tip: The author found three simple steps to making a great roast:
aging, searing on top of the stove and roasting in a hot skillet at low
temperature.

Cooking Tip: With the help of a digital thermometer, the recipe was
virtually foolproof.

Recipe Author: Meg Suzuki
Recipe Source: Cooks Illustrated Nov-Dec '03

This is a great vegan soup. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Hearty Vegetable Soup With Crostini

Stock
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped medium
1 celery rib, chopped medium
1 medium onion, chopped medium
3 medium portobello mushrooms roughly chopped
1 medium garlic head, outer papery skins removed and top third of head cut off and discarded
3 Tbs Olive oil
1 heaping tbs tomato paste
9 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 med leeks (about 1 lb) green parts chopped, white parts sliced thin crosswise
10 sprigs of fresh parsley
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed

Soup
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes drained tomato pieces chopped coarse
2 small russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cup)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 1 cup)
1/2 medium celeriac peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 small escarole head (about 12 oz) washed stemmed and leaves cut into 1 inch pieces
2 table spoons of minced fresh parsley leaves
1 cup (6oz) frozen baby lima beans (optional)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Crostini
8-12 baguette slices (1/2 inch thick, cut on bias)
1 large garlic clove, peeled
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and ground black pepper



1 For the Stock: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees F. Place carrot, celery, onion, protobellos and garlic head on rimed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Add tomato paste and toss again until evenly coated. Spread vegetables in even layers, set garlic head cut side up; roast until vegetables are well browned, 25-30 min.

2 Combined roasted vegetables, broth, leek greens, parsley, thyme, bay and porcini in a large heavy-bottomed dutch oven; cover and bring to simmer over medium high heat, then reduce heatto medium low and simmer partially covered for 30 min. Remove garlic head; using tongs, squeeze garlic head at root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using fork, mash garlic to paste in small bowl and set aside. Strain stock through large fine mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids in strainer.

3 For the Soup: Rinse out and wipe dutch oven; add tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celeriac, reserved whites of leeks, strained broth, and garlic paste to pot and bring to simmer ofer medium high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer partially covered until vegetables are tender when poked with skewer or paring knife about 25 min. With back of wooden spoon mash some potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken soup. Stir in escarole and lima beans (if using): cook until escarole is wilted and limas are heated through, about 5 min. Stir in parsley; adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with Crostini floated on soup, if desired

4 For Crostini: adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Place baguette slices on baking sheet; bake until dry and crisp, about 10 min, flipping slices halfway through baking time. While still hot, rub one side of each slice with raw garlic clove, then drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Note1 , I have made a lot of soup stock in the past but this is the first time I have roasted the vegetables. The mix of flavors is amazing. This will not be the last time I use roasted vegetables for my soup stock.

Note 2 Note: I do not use the escarole when I make this soup I find it much more enjoyable without it.

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I used to drink a lot of coffee but have had to give it up for both health and religious reasons. I have looked for a long time and have not yet found a good alternative. Most decaff's just don't make it. Today I think I may have found one at SoyCoffee.com. As soon as it arrives I'll let you know how close it is to coffee.

Chris