SO, the big day is almost upon us. Every food column in the country is going mad for Christmas Day dinner, but what about Boxing Day? The day when you're supposed to take it a little more easily, spending less time in the kitchen and enjoying the holiday instead.

Well then, how about a nice, quick and easy beef roast, jazzed up with some store cupboard standards that we've all got? So take it easy this Boxing Day. Throw this simple beef dish in the oven, put your feet up and hit the cooking sherry!

Roasted Rib of Beef with Mustard Glaze

Serves six

Ingredients

1 x 1.5 (3lb) - 2kg (4.5lb) rib of beef joint

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 leeks, washed and chopped

3 sticks celery, washed and chopped

500ml (16fl oz) beef stock

100ml (4fl oz) red wine

4 tbsp mild mustard (Dijon or similar)

4 tbsp honey

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Arrange the chopped vegetables in the bottom of a deep roasting tray and place the joint of beef on top. Mix the stock and wine together and pour over the meat. Now mix the honey and mustard together and rub all over the joint, working it well into the flesh.

Season with salt and pepper and cover, first with baking paper, and then with foil to give a good seal

around the edge of the tray. For medium-cooked beef, roast for 20 minutes per half kilo (pound), plus 20 minutes extra. Uncover for the last half of the cooking time and gently baste with the juices in the pan.

And make sure you have a cracking Christmas!

Nick Haywood is the in-store chef at Sainsbury's, London Colney's Now We're Cooking kitchen.

December 19, 2001 12:30