When you roast tomatoes along with beef it gives the dish a slightly acidic edge that cuts the rich, unctuous quality of the meat. The softened tomatoes go straight into the food processor with some vinegar and parsley for a sauce that is both lighter and tangier than the typical brown gravy. Serve with buttered egg noodles.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　1 (2- to 2 1/2-pound) sirloin tip or chuck roast

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　4 Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise

　　2 teaspoons herbes de Provence

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

　　2 garlic cloves

　　1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

　　2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

　　

Step 2

Season the beef with salt and pepper. Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence.

　　

Step 3

Heat the olive oil in a medium, heavy roasting pan or Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until browned. Place the seasoned tomatoes around the seared beef and place the pan in the oven. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the beef reads 130°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium, 30 to 40 minutes. Tent the roast loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. The internal temperature of the meat should rise 5 degrees more and the juices will redistribute into the roast.

　　

Step 4

While the meat rests, place the parsley and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the parsley is finely chopped. Add the red pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, the red wine vinegar, and the roasted tomatoes and process until puréed. With the machine running, add the extra-virgin olive oil in a steady stream.

　　

To Serve

Step 5

Slice the roast and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle a little sauce over the meat. Serve the remaining sauce in a small bowl alongside.

　　Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.