Stout and Cheddar Meatloaf

                                                            Hot
                                                                or
                                                           Cold



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Save for dyeing fondant green, I think I've covered all the recipes that are usually associated with St. Patrick's Day. Several years ago, in an attempt to keep the spirit of the day, I decided to feature recipes that were traditional Irish favorites but not necessarily associated with the holiday. I am going to expand on that idea this year and include recipes that are usually made with ingredients we associated with Ireland or Irish cooking. I hope you're receptive to the idea because I'm going to be featuring "Irish" recipes for the next week. I want to start with this incredible meatloaf. I plan to serve it to guests on St.Patrick's Day, along with Julia's mashed potatoes and some Irish vegetable dishes that I'll be sharing with you next week. Julia's potatoes can be found, here. The meatloaf is a homely affair but it has wonderful flavor, thanks in part to the lingering effects of the Guinness stout whose bitterness evaporates as it simmers with the vegetables that flavor the loaf. I loved it and I am not a meatloaf person. There is no snobbery involved. Having raised a family, I've made many a gazillion meatloaves and turned away from them out of sheer boredon and the desire to try new things. Every so often, however, recipes such as this one beckon and tempt me back to the chopping block. I mention that, because this recipe uses lots of ingredients and requires more than the usual amount of slicing and dicing. It is also a tad more expensive to make than most. It is worth it. This is not a ladylike entree. Hot or cold it has robust flavor that men will enjoy.  The Silver Fox reported his socks were going up and down the first time he tried this. Mine came near that when I had it thinly sliced after a night in the refrigerator. Cold, it is like a heady peasant pate. I have a couple of suggestions to share with those of you who plan to make the meatloaf. If you are unable to find ground veal,ground chicken or turkey breast can be used in its place. You should also know that the loaf will look better if you drape it with thin, rather than thick, sliced bacon.  Under the best of circumstances, it will take a lot of lipstick to make this a pretty pig. I really hope you'll give this recipe from Fine Cooking magazine a try. It will be an unexpected treat. St. Patrick would approve. Here's how the meatloaf is made.

Stout and Cheddar Meatloaf...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Fine Cooking magazine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon canola or olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup small-diced carrots
1/2 cup small-diced celery
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
3/4 cup stout beer, such as Guinness
4 oz. medium-coarse white bread, such as Italian or French, crusts removed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2-1/2 cups)
1 cup whole milk
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground veal
2 large eggs
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1/4 cup dried mushrooms, rehydrated in hot water, drained and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
10 oz. (thin) sliced bacon (about 9 strips)

Directions:
1) Position a rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line bottom of 13 x 9-inch pan with parchment paper. Place dried mushroom in a small bowl and cover with boiling water to rehydrate. SEt aside.
2) Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, cook stirring frequently, until softened and just beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
3) Add stout, and simmer briskly, until almost dry, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool until warm.
4) Pour milk into a shallow bowl that is large enough to hold bread cubes in a single layer. Soak crustless bread in milk, flipping once, until soggy but not falling apart, about 5 to 10 minutes. Time will depend on the thickness, crumb and freshness of bread selected for use. Lightly squeeze a handful of bread at a time to remove some of milk (it should be wet but not drenched). Finely chop and add to bowl with the vegetable mixture.
5) Add beef, veal or veal substitute and eggs to the onion mixture. Scatter Cheddar, drained rehydrated mushrooms, and parsley over meat, and then sprinkle with Worcestershire, 2-1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Use hands to gently mix all ingredients until just combined; try not to compact while mixing.
6) Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Form 1 tablespoon of meatloaf mixture into a small patty. When oil is hot, cook patty on both sides until cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and other seasonings as needed. Repeat until you're satisfied with flavor of meatloaf mix.
7) Transfer meatloaf mixture to prepared pan and form into a 10 x 4-inch rectangular block (it becomes loaf-shaped as it cooks). Finish meatloaf by draping it with slightly overlapping strips of bacon, tucking the ends under the loaf.
8) Bake until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in center of the meatloaf, 40 to 55 minutes.
9) Broil meatloaf about 6 inches from the broiler element until the bacon is brown and crisped, about 3 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board or serving platter with a large spatula and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch-thick slices. Yield: 8 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Ballymaloe Brown Yeast Bread for St.Patrick's Day














Two Years Ago Today: Indian Butter Chicken















Three Years Ago Today: Salt Rubbed Roast Chicken















Four Years Ago Today: Pork Indochine and Halong Bay

Retro Family Meatloaf

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Meatloaf isn't glamorous, but like most of you who have raised, or are raising a family, I can make one in my sleep. I have at least a dozen recipes for loaves of one type or another. Some are fancy and can rival the finest of French pates, but this effortless creation is the one that I relied on when I was working and all the chairs around my table were still occupied. It is one of the few recipes in my collection that relies on a dehydrated soup mix.  I gave myself absolution for using it years ago and I'm unapologetic about its use in this particular recipe. It simply works better than fresh onions in this meatloaf. I suspect the recipe originally came from the Lipton's test kitchens, but I have not been able to verify that or identify who else might have been responsible for its creation. It you can fill in the blanks, please let me know so I can properly credit the source.  The loaf takes about 10 minutes to mix, and if you form it into mini-loaves as I have here, you can have dinner on the table in just a bit over 30 minutes. If you prefer to bake it as a single loaf, use a 9 x 5 x 2-inch loaf pan to form it, but turn it onto a baking pan to bake for about 50 to 60 minutes. The freestanding loaf allows all surfaces of the meatloaf to be glazed and helps keep it  from sitting in the drippings that are released as it bakes. This recipe will make 6 servings. It can be doubled or tripled if you are feeding a gang. This makes an nice entree for a family meal. I know those of you who try it will appreciate the ease with which this comes together. It's a great recipe to make in the kitchen of a vacation rental. Here's how the meatloaf is made.

Retro Family Meatloaf...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 cup crushed buttery round crackers (i.e. Ritz)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (1-oz.) package dry onion soup mix (i.e. Lipton)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup chili sauce(i.e. Heinz) or ketchup
3 tablespoons steak sauce

Glaze:

1/4 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) To make glaze: Combine chili sauce, brown sugar and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.
3) Combine ground beef, crushed crackers, Cheddar cheese, and onion soup mix in a large bowl and mix until until well combined. Do not overmix.
4) Whisk eggs, ketchup, and steak sauce in a separate bowl until smooth. Add to meat and mix until evenly combined. If mixture seems too dry, add a little water. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions. Shape into cupcake size rounds or ovals and place on a baking sheet. Brush tops with half of glaze.
5) Bake in until mini-meatloaves reach 160 degrees F, about 20 to 25 minutes. brush again with reserved glaze. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Whole Wheat Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Pesto

Two Years Ago Today: Corn and Radish Salad

Three years Ago Today: Green Beans with Sesame-Miso Sauce

A Formula for Turkey Meatloaf

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Like many women my age, there was a time I could make a meatloaf with my eyes closed. While the mind controlling those closed eyes wasn't particularly keen on meatloaf, it was made repeatedly because it was a fast and inexpensive way to feed a family, a dish valued more for its frugality than its flavor. Once the children were on their own, meatloaf disappeared from the table. It was retired, not out of snobbery, but because demanding careers imposed time constraints and there were other things I preferred to make with my limited time in the kitchen. Several months ago, I unearthed Julia Child's recipe for pate. My family loved this dish, but it was retired long before the meatloaf, because I couldn't, in conscience, continue to prepare anything made with so much fat. The pate, however, set my mind in motion and I started to look for a new meatloaf recipe that would make my socks go up and down. I'm happy to report that after several false starts, the cavalry arrived in the form of a feature that appeared in Fine Cooking magazine. The article, written by Allison Ehri Kreitler, presents a master recipe or formula that allows you to build a meatloaf that is uniquely your own. You pick ingredients from various lists, mix them together in predetermined quantities and you are on your way. A detailed explanation of the process can be found here. If you're not feeling at all creative, eight recipes that follow the formula are also provided for you. This is good stuff, folks. Please take a peek. I know the process sounds an awful lot like a Chinese restaurant menu where you pick one from column A and two from column B, but it really does work. I've made two meatloaves using this approach and I am really happy with the results. Here's the recipe for my favorite to date.

Turkey Meatloaf...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Allison Ehri Kreitler

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon canola or olive oil, divided use
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup small-diced mushrooms
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
4 ounces medium-coarse white bread, such as Italian or French, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2-1/2 cups)
1 cup whole milk
2 lb. ground turkey (not 100% breast meat)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sliced scallions
2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fennel seeds
1/4 to -1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2-1/4 to 2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 tespoon freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces thin sliced bacon (about 9 strips)

Directions:
1) Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10 -12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Cook onion, mushrooms, and garlic, stirring frequently, until softened and just beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
2) Add white wine or vermouth, and simmer briskly, until almost dry, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer contents to a large bowl and let cool until warm.
3) In a shallow dish that holds it in a single layer, soak bread in milk, flipping once, until soggy but not falling apart, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on coarseness and freshness of bread. Lightly squeeze a handful of bread at a time to remove some of the milk (it should be wet but not drenched). Finely chop and add to bowl containing vegetable mixture.
4) Position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
5) Add turkey and eggs to vegetable mixture. Scatter scallions, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes over meat, and then sprinkle with Worcestershire, 2-1/4 teaspoons salt, and pepper. Use your hands to gently mix all ingredients until just combined; try not to compact mixture as you do this.
6) Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Form 1 tablespoon of meatloaf mixture into a small patty. When oil is hot, cook patty on both sides until cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and other seasonings as needed. Repeat until you're satisfied with flavor.
7) Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment. Transfer meatloaf mixture to baking pan and form into a 10 x 4-inch rectangular block (it becomes loaf-shaped as it cooks). Finish meatloaf by draping it with slightly overlapping strips of bacon, tucking the ends under the loaf.
8) Bake until an instant-read thermometer registers 165degrees F in the center of meatloaf, 40 to 55 minutes. If necessary, broil meatloaf about 6 inches from the broiler element until bacon is brown and crisped, about 3 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board or serving platter with a large spatula and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch-thick slices. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Turkey Loaf - In Flora's Kitchen
Cajun Pepper Loaf - Drick's Rambling Cafe
Quick and Easy Meatloaf - Southern Bite
Meatloaf Cupcakes Recipe - Sticky, Gooey, Creamy Chewy
Porchetta-Style Pork Meatloaf - My Gourmet Connection
Chicken Meatloaf - Healthy and Gourmet
Italian Crock-Pot Meatloaf - Food and Whine
Meatloaf - Living the Gourmet
Mexican Meatloaf - Quick and Dirty in the Kitchen
Basic Meatloaf - Deep South Dish
Moroccan Meatloaf - Simply Recipes
Lamb Meatloaf - Anne's Food
Chipotle Meatloaf - Culinary in the Country
Seared Tuscan Meatloaf - Food and Wine
Veal Meatloaf with Shiitake Mushroom Gravy - The Recipe Girl

Ham: Again and Again and Again - Pink Saturday

Photo Courtesy of Renee Comet

"Eternity is two people and a ham."



Glazed Ham Loaf



Scalloped Ham and Potatoes with Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Bob and I don't eat a lot of ham. There is just too much meat for us to handle, so we reserve it for an occasional company meal. I made a ham last week that, in its first iteration, fed eight adults. It also made pea soup, ham salad, scalloped ham and potatoes and a lovely glazed ham loaf. You all know how to roast and glaze a ham. I'm pretty sure you have your own version of pea soup and ham salad, so I wanted to share two other recipes that you can use to finish up the last bits of the feast. The scalloped potatoes are based on a recipe from my childhood, but the ham loaf comes from a deli near the campus of Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. Years ago, we dropped in to try their version of Pittsburgh's infamous ham barbecue and were struck by the number of people who were picking up a ground meat mixture from the meat counter. Never shy when it comes to food, I asked what it was. The deli mix was actually an unformed ham loaf that folks took home to bake and glaze. Of course I had to try it and it turned out to be surprising nice. Now unless you are from Pittsburgh, this will not be on the list of foods you request for your final meal. I think you will, however, be pleasantly surprised by how good this loaf actually is. It and the scalloped potatoes are really easy to do and I thought you might like the recipes for them. Here's how they're made.

Glazed Ham Loaf...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Ham Loaf
1 pound ground baked ham
1 pound ground fresh pork
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Glaze
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar

Directions:
1) To make ham loaf: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground ham, ground pork, eggs, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Mix gently to incorporate ingredients. Add breadcrumbs, parsley and pepper and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Shape mixture into loaf form and put it on a pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
2) To make glaze: Combine brown sugar, dry mustard, ground cloves, water, and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Slowly cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place ham loaf in oven and bake for two hours, basting with glaze every 15 minutes after first hour of cooking. Remove loaf from oven. Mix remaining glaze with pan juices and serve with ham loaf. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Scalloped Ham and Potatoes with Cheese...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 large)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/4 cups milk
4 cups (about 1 pound) thinly sliced potatoes
12 ounces cubed or shredded ham
1 cup shredded cheese (I use Monterey Jack)

Directions:
1) To make sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add cheese and stir until melted. Set aside.
2) Place half of sliced potatoes in a greased 1-1/2 quart rectangular dish. Top with ham and half of sauce. Top with remaining half of potatoes and sauce.
3) Bake, covered, in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more or until potatoes are tender. Let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
How to Make Ham Stock and Recipe Ideas Using Ham Stock - Kalyn's Kitchen
Frugal Uses for Leftover Ham - Frugal Families
Ham Cheese and Paprika Muffins - Cook Sister
Doe Run Inn's Country Ham Balls - Courier Journal
Restaurant-Style Ham Fried Rice - Favorite Family Recipes
Ham and Split Pea Soup with Bacon - Food and Wine Blog

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Polpettone - Tuscan Stovetop Meatloaf

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There are times when my sense of the absurd overcomes common sense. Before I go any further, you need a little background. I've been working with a cookbook that was written for folks who know their way around the kitchen. There are no detailed instructions to take you from the larder to the table in 10 easy steps. There's a list of ingredients and a few charming, but terse instructions that can be summarized as "mix and bake." I've long waged a personal war with recipes that call for a chopped onion or 2 cloves of garlic. My brain is wired to handle balanced equations and specific instructions. What size onion are you talking about? If onions upset me, you can imagine how well I handle an instruction directing me to shape a meatloaf like a football. You'll be even more surprised to learn I tried. Fortunately, I realized it was impossible to fry anything shaped like an American football before reaching DEFCON 1. Undeterred, but taking terrible hazing from Bob, I decided they must have meant a soccer ball. I tried that, too, but my creation collapsed under it's own weight and became a discus. I fell back on my old standby, the salami-shaped cylinder, and fortunately that worked, allowing me to roll the loaf as it browned. I choose this recipe because it's geared to a smaller table and I was intrigued by the fact that it was cooked on top of the stove. It also made a ton of sauce that would be perfect for pasta. Despite the false starts, silliness and instructions lost in translation this is a lovely meatloaf that is perfect for smaller families. Here is the recipe for polpettone - Tuscan meatloaf.

Polpetonne - Tuscan Stovetop Meatloaf...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Judy Witts Francini

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
2 ounces prosciutto, finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
2 slices crustless bread, soaked in milk, then squeezed to remove liquid
Flour for dredging
1/2 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely dice
1 stalk celery, scrubbed and finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Olive oil
Salt, pepper and nutmeg
1 (28-oz.) can plum tomatoes packed in juice

Diretions:
1) Mix beef with prosciutto, egg, cheese and bread, Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. I used a teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and a big pinch of nutmeg.Shape meatloaf like a football, roll in flour or breadcrumbs.
2) Saute onion, carrot and celery in olive oil. I used 2 tablespoons. After 10 minutes, add polpettone, turning to brown on all sides. Add tomatoes and up to a cup of their juice. Cover and let cook slowly, turning frequently to avoid sticking. I cooked mine for 30 minutes. Very carefully remove from pan to a cutting board. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Slice and serve with lemon wedges. Yield: 4 servings.

Cook's Note: The parsley specified in the ingredient list was never mentioned in the instructions. I added it to the tomato sauce. Next time I'll include it in the meat mixture.

Here are some other great meatloaf recipes from other blogs:
Moroccan Meatloaf from Simply Recipes
Kalyn's Best Meatloaf from Kalyn's Kitchen
Turkey Meatloaf with Fig Gravy from The Perfect Pantry