By Michael Minorgan for Curtains Up www.globalgourmets.ca minorgan@yahoo.ca
Meatloaf
As winter sets in and boy has it ever made it’s presence known this year my food cravings always tend towards ‘comfort food’, all those dishes that mom used to make that always seemed to fit the bill at this time of year. One such iconic dish is the meatloaf which ever since it was first mentioned way back in the 5th century in the pages of the famous Roman cookery collection Apicius,(1) has taken on a multitude of international variations. Due to its combination of ingredients and flavours it can easily be substituted for meatballs. This recipe however is a hybrid of the many different recipes I have tried over the years and incorporates some of my own special quirks to kick up the flavour even more….Enjoy! (1) Wikipedia
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 pound ground chuck
2 chipotle chillies pureed
1/2 pound chorizo sausage with casing removed and chopped
1/2 pound ground veal
1 teaspoons salt
3tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
tex mex grated cheese selection
Glaze
¼ cup onion chopped onion
1tsp garlic chopped
1 cup ketchup
2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce pureed
2 tbsp yellow mustard
1 serrano or jalapeno chilli finely chopped
2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
Directions
In a large skillet heat the butter over medium-high heat until melted. Add all but 1/4 cup of the onions, the celery and all but 2 tablespoons of the bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to caramelize around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, the thyme, rosemary, and parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
When the vegetable mixture is cooled, transfer to a mixing bowl and add the eggs, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sour cream, cumin, chilli powder, chipotle chilli puree and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the breadcrumbs, ground chuck, chorizo sausage, ground veal, salt and pepper and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Transfer meat mixture to a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan and using your hands, form mixture into a loaf shape.
Glaze
In a small saucepan combine the chopped onion and the garlic, sauté until softened then add ketchup, chipotle chillies, mustard and Serrano chilli, vinegar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the uncooked meatloaf and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the sauce is slightly caramelized on the top of the meatloaf. Remove from the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving
