Food & Wine: Meatloaf w/Creamy Onion Gravy

This weekend I will attempt to make my first ever meatloaf. Hesitating for years, It became ellusive to find a recipe that sounded both appetizing and easy to make. Finally, I found one! In this month's issue of Food & Wine magazine (the Thanksgiving issue) is a recipe that is reportedly one of the best recipes they've come across. From contributor, Andrew Curren, here's the recipe for Meatloaf with Creamy Onion Gravy. I'll let you know how it turns out.

"This is a culmination of all the meat loaves I've ever eaten," says Andrew Curren, chef-partner of 24 Diner in Austin. "My mom always made a good meat loaf—it never had the tomato goo on top of it. Then I tasted a meat loaf that had cheese in it; that was a good idea. In Italy, I was introduced to soffritto and realized the importance of cooking with carrots, onion, celery." Curren serves the meat loaf with creamy gravy, which is also excellent on lunchtime meat loaf sandwiches.

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 pounds ground beef chuck
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a very large bowl and let cool. Add the panko, eggs, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and stir to form a paste. Using your hands, work in the ground meats and cheese until combined.
2. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper. Firmly pat the meat mixture into 2 loaves, about 10 inches long. Arrange the loaves 3 inches apart on the parchment and roast in the lower third of the oven for about 1 hour, until lightly browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaves registers 150°. Let the meat loaves rest for 15 minutes, then cut into thick slices and serve with the Creamy Onion Gravy.

Make Ahead The baked meat loaves can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Cut the meat loaves into thick slices and brown in a skillet to serve.

 

Gravy:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large white onions, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the apricots, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Cover and let stand overnight, stirring occasionally.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Set the garlic cut side up on a large square of foil and top with 3 thyme sprigs, the rosemary and the olive oil. Wrap tightly in foil and roast for about 1 hour, or until softened and caramelized. Let cool in the foil. Squeeze the softened garlic cloves from the skins into a bowl and mash with a fork.
3. Cook the apricot mixture over high heat, stirring frequently, until the fruit is translucent and jammy, about 15 minutes. Spoon one-fourth of the mixture into a mini food processor, add the praline paste and puree until smooth. Scrape the puree into the saucepan and stir to combine. Transfer the apricot-praline butter to a bowl and let cool.
4. In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the sliced white onions and stir to coat. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the onions are very soft but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and cook, whisking frequently, until the gravy is thickened, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer the onion gravy over moderate heat for about 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the onion gravy to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. Return the onion gravy to the saucepan and simmer until it is reduced to 5 cups, about 5 minutes.
6. In a food processor, pulse the trout until finely chopped. Add the cream cheese, half-and-half and lemon zest and process until combined. Add to the roasted garlic, along with the minced thyme and pepper. Garnish with the remaining 2 thyme sprigs.

Make Ahead The onion gravy can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.