This roast beef makes a delicious centrepiece for your festive table. Easy to prepare in advance, it is bursting with flavour from the rich red wine, fragrant pomegranate molasses and honey. A beautiful dish to share around the festive table.

Method

• Preheat oven to 240°C (220°C fan).
• Mix the wine, pomegranate molasses, honey, 1 tbsp of the olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a jar.
• Place the beef in a roasting dish only slightly larger than the joint, so it cooks in its own juices. Add the sliced onion, garlic and rosemary. Season the meat with salt, pepper and a tablespoon of the olive oil, rubbing it well all over.
• Spread the onion, garlic and rosemary to create a bed, then place the beef on top.
• Shake the jar well and pour about 50ml of the wine and pomegranate mixture over the beef.
• For medium rare meat, roast for 20 minutes at 240°C (220°C fan), turning once halfway through and spooning some of the wine and pomegranate mixture over the meat. Reduce the temperature to 210°C (190°C fan) and continue roasting for 20-25 minutes, turning the meat and adding a splash of the wine and pomegranate mixture every 10 minutes.
• Spread the onion, garlic and rosemary around and over the meat so they become golden and caramelised. If using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 55–57°C.
• For medium, cook for a further 10 minutes; for well done, cook for a further 20 minutes.
• Remove the beef from the oven and transfer to a separate dish, leaving the gravy, onions and cooking juices behind. Tightly wrap the beef in foil and leave to rest for at least 20–30 minutes, or ideally 1 hour, before carving. This resting time allows the juices to redistribute, making the meat more tender and easier to carve. The roast beef can also be cooked the day before, cooled then refrigerated overnight.
• Slice thinly with a very sharp knife and transfer to a serving dish - it looks lovely presented on a bed of fresh rocket and scattered with pomegranate seeds.
• Transfer the gravy to a small saucepan to warm on the hob If it’s too thin, simmer gently for a few minutes until it thickens slightly. Drizzle some over the sliced meat and the rest alongside.

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