Serves 8

The timings below are for beef that goes into the oven at room temperature. A French-trimmed rib of beef means that the chine bone has been removed and the bones scraped clean ready for roasting – your butcher will be able to do this for you. Ask to keep the trimmings and place them in the roasting tray with the vegetables.

3 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
3 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled
Handful of lemon thyme, leaves picked
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2.3kg rib of beef (trimmed weight), French-trimmed
Sea salt
3 carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
3 sticks of celery, cut into long pieces

FOR THE GRAVY
Few sprigs of lemon thyme
4 plum or vine-ripened tomatoes, halved
½ a bottle of red wine
1.2 litres beef stock

1 Heat the oven to 220C/Gas 7. Using a large pestle and mortar or spice grinder, grind the Sichuan peppercorns, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon thyme, olive oil and Dijon mustard together to a paste. Season the beef with salt, then rub the mixture over the beef, leaving the ends uncovered.

2 Put the carrots and celery (and any beef trimmings) in a large roasting tin, then rest the beef on top. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove the beef from the oven and cover the crust with a double layer of foil. Turn the oven temperature down to 160C/Gas 3 and continue to roast for about 80 minutes for rare (90 minutes for medium-rare and 1 hour and 40 minutes for medium).

3 When the meat is cooked to your liking, lift out the beef and leave to rest in a warm place while you make the gravy. Pour off the excess fat from the tin, place on a medium heat and add the lemon thyme and tomatoes. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then pour in the wine and bring to a simmer.

4 Squash the tomatoes into the sauce with a potato masher to help thicken and add flavour. Pour in the stock and bubble vigorously for about 10 minutes until reduced by half. Pass the gravy through a sieve, pressing the vegetables to extract even more flavour.

5 Return the gravy to the heat and reduce to a gravy consistency. Meanwhile, start to carve the beef thinly. Check the gravy for seasoning, then pour into a warmed jug or gravy boat and serve alongside the beef.

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