Orange Balsamic Roast Beef

Feed a crowd with a modestly priced roast beef that is loaded with flavour and perfectly tender when cooked to medium-rare and carved into thin slices. Served with a Mediterranean-inspired quinoa dish and roasted fennel bulb. You meet over all your daily needs for zinc and vitamin B12 with this one meal! This serving of beef provides 20% of heme iron – the type that is easiest for your body to absorb. Beef also boosts the absorption of the non-heme iron from the spinach by 150%

Tip:

• Have the fennel ready to go into the when the roast comes out, so the side dish is finished just as the roast is being carved.

Roast

• 3 lb (1.5 kg) Beef Inside Round Oven Roast
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• 1 tbsp orange zest

Sides

• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• 1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper (approx.)
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 small red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup quinoa
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and fronds reserved
• 1 tsp finely grated orange zest

Instructions

Roast

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Season roast all over with salt and pepper. Whisk oil with mustard, vinegar, rosemary and orange zest. Rub all over roast. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Cook for 10 minutes or until roast is seared on the outside.
2. Reduce temperature to 275°F (135°C). Cook for about 1 hour and 30 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 140°F (60°C) for medium-rare. Remove from oven; cover loosely and let stand 20 minutes before slicing.

Sides

1. Meanwhile, whisk 3 tbsp oil with vinegar, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Divide into two equal portions. Set aside.
2. Heat remaining oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Cook shallots and red pepper for 5 minutes or until softened but not browned. Stir in quinoa until evenly coated. Add 2 cups water and one portion vinegar mixture; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 minutes or until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in spinach and Parmesan. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Keep warm.
3. After roast comes out of the oven, increase temperature to 425°F (220C). Cut fennel in half, and each half into 4 wedges. Toss fennel with remaining vinegar mixture until evenly coated. Arrange, in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender-crisp and light golden brown around the edges. Toss with orange zest and fennel fronds.
4. Carve roast into very thin slices. Drizzle with any pan juices. Serve with warm quinoa pilaf and roasted fennel.