Recipe: (Don't Let Your) Meatloaf

MEATLOAF! MEEEEEEATLOAF! Meatloaf, one of the pillars of the church of American comfort foods. Meatloaf! Utter that word in a roomful of men and eyebrows will raise, heads will cock and attention will be gathered as if you just threw a bait fish on a beach full of seagulls.

Say it with me: MEATLOAF.

Doesn't that create warm images of comfort and home?

Do you think I'm kidding, or making too much about it? Well I'm not. Meatloaf is to the American middle class what corned beef and cabbage is to the Irish! It's what the taco is to the Mexicans! Spam musubi to Hawaii! It's what haggis is to the Scottish. Well no, okay, not haggis. I don't think there are a lot of things anyone can relate to haggis. Anyway, I just mean to say it is a much loved dish by those familiar with it. As evidence I offer a few comments on the dish from some friends I contacted regarding it:

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm meatloaf, I don't know what to say beyond that. What else can you say about meatloaf? Meatloaf is the best." -Andy F.

"Meatloaf? Yeah, I love meatloaf." -Dave L.

"I've had some pretty damn good meatloaf!" -Dave Z.

Like any popular dish the variations are as numerous as the assortment of ingredients available and the various regions in which it is prepared. I won't try to spark a debate or encourage any angry communiques by expressing a preference or preaching superiority. Hell, the gravy alone will raise the ire and spark a rabid debate among true connoisseurs who express a preference! Instead I will offer you ONE of my favorite recipes for a great meatloaf that is as female friendly as it is male friendly.

If you want to do this middle class and old school serve it up with INSTANT mashed potatoes and canned kernel corn for sides! Always, always, always make far more than you need for meatloaf sandwiches for days afterward!

(Don't Let Your) Meatloaf

2 lbs of ground beef (Sometimes I use ground turkey, sue me!)
1 cup of canned tomato sauce
2 slices of wheat bread (cut into cubes, about 1-1/2 cups)
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 roasted red pepper (diced)
1 large egg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Gravy

2 cups of canned tomato sauce
1 cup of water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

In a large bowl beat the egg and then combine the ground meat, 1 cup of tomato sauce, onion, bread cubes, roasted red pepper, Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper. Blend with your hands until everything is just evenly combined and distributed. Don't over do it!

In a 5" x 9" roasting pan (or similar) form the mixture into a slightly domed loaf and place in the center of the oven.

While the meatloaf begins to bake, place a saucepan over a medium flame and in it whisk together the water, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and the tomato sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce to a simmer and continue to simmer whisking frequently, until thickened. Remove from heat.

After the meatloaf has been baking for 10-15 minutes, spoon some of the gravy over the top of it and continue baking the meatloaf. Around the half hour mark, spoon a little more gravy over the meatloaf again. Depending on your tastes you can do this several more times. Reserve most of the gravy to top your meatloaf when you serve it.

The meatloaf is finished when a thermometer placed in the middle of the thickest part registers at least 160°F. Remove it from the oven and let it stand 10 minutes. During this time reheat the gravy. Serve the meatloaf topped with gravy.

Recipe: Steak Diane (or Chicken/Pork/Turkey Diane)

Today's world food that you can prepare in your home kitchen is Steak Dianne. This widely popular dish seemingly comes from the annals of French culinary tradition. Perhaps even as far back as the middle ages. However, its lineage isn't clear or straightforward and much to the chagrin of many a French chef, the modern and popular version of Steak Diane (much like the Chinese dish of General Tso's Chicken) may have come straight out of New York City! Hey, let the food historians battle it out over details. I'm in this game for the eats!


This particular recipe comes my way via my friend, Dave "The Food Ninja" (photo to the right). You may remember Dave from the "Academica Steak Sandwich" recipe elsewhere on this blog. There I described how, through his powers of discreet and diligent observation he was able to get the recipe for those sandwiches for himself and good friends. On that occasion he plied his craft to quickly get a great recipe for a much-loved and simple, everyday food. I'll thank him now for that (thanks Dave!) For the recipe below however, Dave had to push his talents to the extreme. The Food Ninja gets what he wants, the Food Ninja will not be denied.

The whole affair started years ago at a favorite restaurant of ours in Providence, RI. We all had our favorite dishes there. My own being Oysters Rockerfeller and Beef Wellington, for the Food Ninja it was frog legs and Steak Diane. Supremely, it was the steak Dianne. He got it all the time, and each time, the moments between him ordering it and it arriving drove him a little mad. He would fidget in his seat and squirm in anticipation and then it would arrive and he would be in gourmet ecstasy. Time and time again, year after year, the ritual played itself off with nary the slightest variation. Finally, he decided he had to get the recipe and prepare it for himself. Not just any recipe, but THAT recipe. The Food Ninja went to work.

"How?" you may ask (if you care). I'll tell you how. He got a job washing dishes there that's how! Several nights a week after his regular 9 to 5 he'd schlep his way to Providence, don the white smock and apron and enter the steamy dishwasher's station and get covered in leftovers and slop until midnight. Week in, week out, he'd sacrificed his free time, his family and the small pleasures of leisure just to get closer to that recipe.

His ruse was perfect. He was so dedicated that his work at the dishwasher's station got him promoted to busboy. In kind his work there after a short while led to a choice of opportunities as either a waiter (much coveted) or as a line cook. He jumped at the opportunity to cook knowing it would bring him closer to his sacred recipe. A recipe from the chef's own book, a book the chef kept by his side, a book he protected from all prying eyes.

Weeks passed and while over time the general preparation of the recipe revealed itself, he still didn't know all the ingredients. He bided his time. Soon he celebrated his first anniversary working at the restaurant and while his experiences there taught him much (he was lauded for his Cherries Jubilee), and earned him some extra cash, what he desired most still eluded him. Then one day came the break he was waiting for.

A new line cook was preparing to flambe some coq au vin when the full bottle of cognac slipped from his hand and broke on the stove top. Flames shot high into the vent hood and that triggered the automatic fire extinguishing system. The chef was furious and in the resulting confusing and commotion of foam, flambe, mushrooms and chicken The Food Ninja struck. He quickly opened the book and scribbled what he needed to know. Afterward he finished his shift and quit that evening turning in his apron. Despite another promised promotion, he never returned to the restaurant. He didn't have to, he had gotten what he wanted and now you have it too.

Steak Diane (or Chicken/Pork/Turkey Diane)

1-2 lbs Beef Tenderloin, Pork, Chicken or Turkey pounded in 1/2 flat cutlets
Dijon mustard
2-3 shallots (chopped)
4-5 garlic cloves (chopped)
6-7 mushrooms (chopped)
1-2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1-2 Tbs sweet butter
Tabasco sauce
1-1/2 cup of brown gravy
Brandy
1/4 cup light cream
Parsley (chopped)

Liberally spread some mustard on both sides of your selected meat. Use just enough to cover the meat.

Preheat a skillet large enough to to fit all the meat, when hot add the olive oil. When the olive oil begins to shimmer add the meat and cook it. If using beef cook just short of desired level of doneness. If using other meats cook almost entirely. When finished remove meat from the skillet and set aside.

To the skillet add: shallots, garlic, and mushrooms, season with a little salt and pepper to taste and sauté for a few minutes until the ingredients are cooked.

Now, (with a fire extinguisher close at hand) add the two shots of brandy and light with a grill lighter or tip the pan towards the stove flame. Let it burn until the flames subside. When flames are gone stir the pan, scraping up any bits from the pan.

To the sauté mixture add the gravy, Worcestershire sauce, several dashes of hot sauce and a heaping tablespoon of the Dijon mustard. Bring this all to a simmer then add the butter and the light cream and blend it well. Add the meat back to the gravy mixture and warm through.

Plate with the sauce and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
Recipe: Steak Diane from Chop Onions, Boil Water by Henry Krauzyk http://www.choponionsboilwater.com

Recipe: Michelle's Awesome Burgers

(Photo: Michelle's Awesome Turkeyburger, a variation of the recipe below)

If it is not apparent at this point let me make it clear. In my home I do 90% of the cooking. After a one-hour commute to work and a nine-hour workday, I get my butt back in a car and spend another hour in traffic to get home so that I can prepare a real dinner for my family. I do it day after day after day and you know why? Because I LOVE IT! Well, not the work and commute stuff, SCREW THAT! It's the cooking for my family thing I enjoy. It is relaxing and I think its fun. We've got a pretty good situation in my home. I love to cook and hate to clean, my wife hates to cook and loves to clean -- HARMONY!

However, there are times and situations when I just can't cook or on very rare occasions, don't feel like cooking. That's when Mrs. K works her magic and cooks for the family. Remember, I wrote that she hates to cook, not that she can't cook, she certainly can. Unlike me, she's really humble about her skills and her dishes. She'll charmingly deflect any attempt to compliment her efforts. Though sometimes I think that's because she doesn't want to get too good at cooking too many things! She's clever like that. How else was she able to wrangle such a high quality man into marrying her?

There are several things she prepares for me that are among my favorite versions of those foods. Among them are her hamburgers. True to her style she takes some simple ingredients and creates something I REALLY and SINCERELY enjoy. True to my writing style I'll offer that her hamburgers transcend the potential of their ingredients! Snazzy huh? In fact I like her burgers so much, that she is the only one who makes them in my house. They're better than any of the ones I've ever made and well, once I grab onto something I like I'm not letting go!

So here is my favorite burger recipe, compliments of my wife Michelle for whom I am happy to cook 90% of her meals.

Michelle's Awesome Burgers

3 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup onions (chopped fine)
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
Ground black pepper to taste
Wheat or whole grain hamburger buns*
Sliced cheddar cheese
Stone ground mustard
Bufalo Brand Chipotle Hot Sauce
Dad's Coney Island Hot Dog Sauce

In a large bowl mix the ground beef, onions, Worcestershire Sauce and ground black pepper.

Divide into desired size servings and form into hamburger patties.

Place patties on grill.

While patties grill, toast the hamburger rolls.

Cook patties until done adding a slice of cheddar cheese the last few moments.

On the bottom of the bun spread Bufalo Brand Chipotle Hot Sauce to taste.

On the top of the bun spread the stone ground mustard.

Place burger on bun and top with two tablespoons of Dad's Coney Island Hot Dog Sauce.

You can also add tomatoes, lettuce and extra onions if you like.

*OR Supremely- Portuguese sweetbread buns or bolos levedos (Portuguese pancakes). For more information on these please see this previous entry.

Recipe: Michelle's Awesome Burgers from Chop Onions, Boil Water by Henry Krauzyk

Recipe: Turkey Tips with Chipotle Ketchup

Have you ever heard someone from England, Australia or New Zealand pronounce a foreign word that they have a need to use? Well, to an American ear it is friggin' downright funny. Not that Americans don't err themselves. I cringe every time I hear a well-meaning countryman pronounce "filet" with a hard "t". Yikes! I'm not writing this to make fun of Americans though.

Back to the people who make our language sound funny. Over the course of my life I have been fortunate enough to make many friends in the aforementioned countries that print money with the queen on it. Among the many benefits of having such friends is the abject pleasure I take in listening to them speak. I like the accents. They are interesting and often very, very amusing.

My very informal personal research has revealed that it is the preference of the inhabitants of these odd and strange commonwealth lands to Anglicize the foreign words they need to adopt for various reasons. This as opposed to the American method of adopting them as close to the language of origin as possible. A trait which I find respectful.

I'm sure it doesn't seem like much of a thing until you hear your Kiwi editor pronounce things like "risotto" (rihz-OTTO), "basil" (Beh-ZILL) or "Parmesan" (oh I can't even write it). Better yet, nothing, NOTHING beats hearing her pronounce "chipotle" (well except maybe my friend Sally from Northern England pronouncing "Feng Shui" (FEHNG-SHOOEY). Back to my rant: When pronounced in its native Mexican language "chipotle" seems the perfect sound to describe these smoked jalapenos, especially if they're packed in adobo sauce. However, when a Kiwi pronounces it, the sound is reminiscent of what you hear when you drop an empty metal canteen on concrete. Instead of that perfectly suitable "Chee-pote-lay" you get "CHEE-POT-UHL!"

CHEE-POT-UHL!

It also sounds like the call of a very large, flightless, messy and unpleasant bird!

CHEE-POT-UHL! CHEE-POT-UHL!

If you ever happen upon one of these pleasant and patronizingly polite foreigners I encourage you to offer them an Italian or Mexican menu. You'll have hours of fun listening to them! I did it with a Portuguese menu once and I still laugh every time I go back to that restaurant! Funny foreign chatter aside, this is a quick and easy recipe. Season the turkey to your personal taste and adapt the spicy ketchup to your comfort level. Personally, I make a large quantity of the chipotle ketchup and keep it handy in the fridge just like regular ketchup.

Turkey Tips with Chipotle Ketchup

1-2 lbs. Fresh turkey tenderloin or breast (cut into 1" cubes)
Montreal Steak Seasoning
1-2 Tbs olive oil
1-2 Tbs butter
1 can of Embasa Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
1 cup of ketchup.

In a large bowl, toss the cubes of raw turkey with your desired amount of Montreal Steak Seasoning (I think I'm somewhere around a tablespoon per pound of turkey, maybe a little less). Cover and set aside while you prepare the chipotle ketchup.

In a blender or food processor combine 2 Tbs of the adobo sauce (from the can of chipotle peppers), the cup of ketchup, and 1 of the chipotle peppers (stem and seeds removed)* blend until smooth.

Set a fry pan on medium-high flame. Add the olive oil and when it begins to shimmer add the butter and cook the combination until the butter is no longer foaming. Add the turkey cubes and cook, stirring frequently until just cooked through.

Serve with the chipotle ketchup on the side.

I serve these with fries or tater tots. Yeah!

* Freeze the balance of the chipotles and adobo for future use.

Recipe: Turkey Tips with Chipotle Ketchup, Chop Onions, Boil Water by Henry Krauzyk

Recipe: Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie

One of the great things about getting older is noticing how much better things were when I was younger. Are you in your forties or fifties? Think about it. Isn’t it great? It’s even more fun to rant about it. Here, I’ll show
you!

Rap and Hip Hop? Come on, it sucks! It really does! As a matter of fact 90% of popular music sucks! I see these buffoons in music videos posturing and pretending to be something they’re not and I just love it because it sucks! Most of it is barely music. Black, white, yellow or red the new music mostly sucks. That is saying something because I grew up during DISCO!

When was the last time you saw a great movie? When was the last time you saw an original concept, original script, that was well written, excellently acted and filmed beautifully? I can’t remember because all the new movies SUCK! They are making movies based on television shows and other movies from when we were kids. Do you know why? Because it was better then! They just can’t get it right though, can they!

How about television? There are good shows right? I know there are several I like. That still sucks though. Do you want to know why? I’ll tell you anyway. Because there were ALWAYS several shows I liked, even way back when there were ONLY THREE CHANNELS! Now we have over a hundred or more and still there are only several good shows!!!! There should be sixty good shows but there aren’t because today’s television SUCKS! Television was
so good back in the day that Hollywood keeps making bad movies based on the good old programs!

Cars suck today! Okay maybe they’re better for the environment and safer, that’s good, but why do they all look the same? Remember when you could look at a car and know its make and its year of manufacture? Not today, they are all so bland! The ubiquitous conformance of the gray flannel suit of the 1950’s has manifested itself in the auto industry! It’s boring and it sucks!

One of the few things that have gotten better is food. Today we have access to a wider variety of ingredients and produce. Foods like Thai, Japanese and Lebanese that would have been considered exotic when we were kids are commonplace today. We even have channels on television that are dedicated to food and its preparation (though it’s a pity that many of the programs still SUCK!). So while it is a pleasure to know how much better we had it back then, it’s still good to know we can count on some improvement!

What’s all this got to do with the recipe to the right? Well the basis for the recipe comes from a cookbook inspired by the television program “Northern Exposure”. A great program! How do I know? Easy, because I can weigh it against all the ones that suck today!

Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie

5 cups cooked chicken/turkey cubed
1-1/2 cups of sliced carrots
1-1/2 cups of sliced celery
1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
4 cups homemade chicken/turkey stock or canned broth
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup reserved vegetable broth (see below)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 flat sheets ready-made or homemade pie dough

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Fill a saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Add celery and carrot and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat. Strain through sieve reserving 3/4 cup of resulting vegetable broth and allow it to cool a little in the freezer. Rinse vegetables under cold water.

Put celery, carrots, chicken and peas into a large bowl. Toss together to mix thoroughly.

Distribute evenly between 2-3 pie dough lined pie plates. DO NOT pack
tightly.

Combine chicken stock, milk, celery salt, pepper and nutmeg in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a low simmer.

In a small bowl, mix flour and reserved vegetable stock and whisk into a smooth paste. Stir paste into the saucepan. While continuing to stir, raise heat and bring back to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes or more, until mixture is thick and smooth. Test and season to taste. Pour sauce in equal amounts over the chicken-vegetable mixture.

Cover each pie with dough. Seal edges well. Put four knife slits in each pie to allow venting. Brush the top of each pie with egg white. Cook in the oven until golden brown. Remove, allow to set, and then serve with any surplus gravy.