Ribs of beef with red onions, garlic and gratin dauphinoise

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.

2. Trim the ribs of beef, keeping any bits to help with the jus. Heat the dripping in a large heavy-based roasting tray on a hob.

3. Season the ribs well with salt and freshly ground pepper and fry them in the tin for 2 minutes on each side, adding 50g of butter after a minute or so, until the ribs are golden-brown.

4. Lift the ribs out onto a warmed plate and toss the quartered onions and any beef trimmings into the tray. Fry these for a few minutes, then put the ribs back into the pan along with any juices that have escaped.

5. Place the roasting tray and its contents in the oven and roast for 30 minutes for medium rare, a little longer for medium.

6. Meanwhile, prepare the gratin Dauphnoise. In a large saucepan, bring the milk to the boil with the garlic. Add in the double cream, stir well and season with salt, freshly ground pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste.

7. Add the potatoes and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft and the liquid has thickened.

8. Add half of the Gruyere cheese and gently stir it in. Pour all of this into a shallow gratin dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

9. Take the roasting tray out of the oven, take the ribs out, leaving the onions and roasting juices, and let the ribs rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.

10. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/gas 4. Bake the gratin in the oven for about 15 minutes until brown and bubbling on top.

11. Meanwhile, add the remaining butter to the ribs' roasting tray and heat through over a medium heat on a hob, scraping off any caramelised juices off the bottom to deglaze it.

12. Add the garlic and sweat it for a minute, then throw in the parsley leaves along with some salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir all of this into the onions.

13. Carve the beef and serve it with the red onions and the gratin Dauphinoise.