Sometimes the simplest things are the best. I have been after Linda to write this recipe down, but she always says that it is too obvious. This week, I threatened to have her write down the recipe for the incredible Lobster Soufflé that she made for Easter brunch. Instead I finally got the meatloaf recipe! And, it is just as well, as you really need a good excuse and a lot of time to make something as complex and risky as a Lobster Soufflé. If you have a couple of hours to kill and want to learn the intricacies of "folding," go buy Julia Child's The Way to Cook and make a Lobster Soufflé. In the meantime, the meat loaf is pretty tasty, much easier and our 13 year old loves it.
Linda's
"Not Your Mother's" Meatloaf
Serves 4 adults
1/2 cup prepared bread crumbs (Progresso brand works well)
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup milk or water
4 Tbs. Worchestershire sauce
1-1/4 lbs. lean ground beef
1/2 lbs. hot Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Sauce: 1/3 cup catsup and 1/3 cup of either Zuni Grill steak sauce (available here at Grapevine Cottage) or any good BBQ sauce. Pickapeppa Jamacian Hot Sauce (any Marsh Store) is also good to combine with catsup.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine egg, milk and worchestershire sauce in medium size mixing bowl. Add bread crumbs and mix until very moist, yet a fairly solid consistency (may take a few more crumbs or milk). Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Mix at first with a spatula or spoon, but resolve yourself that you really need to use your clean hands. Then dive in and combine thoroughly with both hands. Doesn't feel great, but it mixes the meats and onions well.
Turn into a well oiled (sprayed with Pam) loaf pan or other deep casserole-type dish. I typically bake it uncovered for about 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and drain some of the grease from it. I repeat this again after about another 20 minutes, and then I pour most of the sauce on for the final 30 - 40 minutes. Total baking time abour 1-1/4
hours.
We serve this with homemade mashed potatoes and a bottle of good Merlot.
April 18, 2001 |
