MEAT LOAF

Meat Loaf image

Provided by Craig Claiborne And Pierre Franey

Time 1h30m

Yield Eight to twelve servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
3/4 cup finely chopped green onions or scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely minced sweet red pepper
1/4 cup finely minced sweet green pepper
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
Salt to taste, if desired
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup bottled ketchup
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 pounds lean ground chuck
3/4 pound sausage in bulk (do not use fennel-flavored Italian sausage)
3/4 cup fine, fresh, toasted bread crumbs

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heat the butter in a heavy kettle and add the onions, green onions or scallions, carrots, celery, red and green peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes, or until all the moisture from the vegetables has evaporated. Let stand until cool. Refrigerate until chilled.
In a mixing bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, cayenne, white pepper, cumin, nutmeg and eggs. Beat well and add the ketchup and half-and-half. Blend thoroughly.
Add the chuck, sausage and bread crumbs.
Add the chilled ingredients and mix thoroughly with the hands. Knead for a considerable period of time.
Select a baking dish that will fit neatly and compactly inside a slightly larger baking dish. Pour boiling water into the larger pan and bring the water to the boil.
To shape the meat loaf, dampen the fingers and palms of the hands. Put the meat mixture into the smaller pan and shape it into an oval-shaped loaf resembling a long loaf of bread and measuring approximately 17 by 4 1/2 by 1 1/2 inches.
Set the smaller pan inside the larger pan over the boiling water. Place in the oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the water bath. Let the meat loaf rest outside the oven for 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve sliced.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 382, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 13 grams, Fat 24 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 27 grams, SaturatedFat 10 grams, Sodium 512 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 1 gram