2018 marks an important milestone for Sunset Foods as we celebrate two decades of service to the Village of Libertyville and the surrounding communities. To mark the occasion, we are hosting Customer Appreciation Celebration marking our Libertyville location’s 20th anniversary. This location showcases the very best of what Sunset has to offer and offers the cozy neighborhood ambience which has made Sunset a preferred shopping destination for decades. This event is being held on Saturday, October 27th from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm and will feature over over 40 food sampling stations throughout the store. 

What does it take for a company to reach two decades? Dedication to the community, commitment to associates and customers and have outstanding selections at competitive prices. When the first Sunset Foods opened in Highland Park 82 years ago, it was a place for local shoppers to purchase a wide array of food, but more importantly it was a place to gather with friends and neighbors so everybody's groceries felt a little lighter. This Appreciation event is a celebration of that spirit and a time to enjoy some great food, great sale prices, birthday cake, and chance to mingle, and to share happy memories from the last 20 years of shopping at Sunset Foods.

Red wine and blackberries act as a tenderizer for this cut of meat often used for pot roast. For the best flavor and texture, roast to medium rare then slice across the grain. The Cabernet blackberry au jus is an elegant finish that cooks quickly in the roasting pan after the meat is done.

Ingredients

Roast with marinade

5 lbs. eye of round beef roast
1 Package Driscoll's Blackberries, plus more for garnish
2 Cups Cabernet Sauvignon
4 Cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus more for garnish
1 Tbsp. thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
2 Teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
2 Teaspoons salt
1/2 Tsp. ground black pepper
2 Teaspoons cracked pepper melange

Blackberry Cabernet Au Jus

1 Package Driscoll's Blackberries (6 ounces or about 1 1/3 cups)
2 Cups beef broth
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 Cup Cabernet Sauvignon
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
Roast with marinade

Heat oven to 425°F.

Pierce all sides of meat using a meat fork every 1 inch and place in a large resealable plastic bag.

Purée blackberries in a blender or food processor. Press through a sieve to remove seeds. Discard solids. Combine blackberry purée, Cabernet, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Pour mixture over roast and seal bag. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight, turning roast occasionally.

Drain meat from marinade. Sprinkle cracked pepper mélange evenly over meat and place in a large roasting pan. Pour 1 cup marinade from plastic bag into roasting pan. Discard remaining marinade. Roast 15 minutes, reduce oven to 350°F Continue to roast 50 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 145°F for medium rare. Remove meat from roasting pan. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.

Blackberry Cabernet Au Jus

Purée 1/2 cup blackberries in a blender or food processor. Press through a sieve to remove seeds. Discard solids. Using a wooden spoon, loosen and dissolve any browned bits in roasting pan. Stir in blackberry puree, beef broth, cornstarch and Cabernet. Place roasting pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Stir in remaining blackberries. Season with salt and pepper.

To Serve

Garnish platter with rosemary, thyme and blackberries.