Levy Jennifer - Meatloaf: Recipes for Everyones Favorite

Maryana Vollstedt

Photographs by Jennifer Levy

Text copyright 2007 by Maryana Vollstedt.

Photographs copyright 2007 by Jennifer Levy.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA AVAILABLE.

ISBN: 978-1-4521-2378-3

Designed and typeset by Lucinda Hitchcock

This book was typeset in Egyptienne, Gotham, Rosewood, and Snell.

Chronicle Books LLC

680 Second Street

San Francisco, California 94107

www.chroniclebooks.com

As always, I dedicate this book to my husband, Reed, who is my advisor, agent, shopper, tester, computer person, confidant, and best friend. He has encouraged and supported me throughout my many years of writing cookbooks. It has really been a team effort, and I couldnt have written them without him. Thank you, Reed. Also to my daughter, Julie Glogau, who tested some of the recipes and her husband, Tom, who was a happy taster.

Thanks again to Bill LeBlond, editorial director of cookbooks at Chronicle Books, for his support and encouragement for me to continue to write cookbooks. Meatloaf is my eighth cookbook for Chronicle Books, following my titles in the bestselling Big Book series ( The Big Book of Easy Suppers, The Big Book of Potluck, The Big Book of Breakfast, The Big Book of Soups & Stews , and The Big Book of Casseroles ), plus two others, Pacific Fresh and Whats for Dinner? To Amy Treadwell, associate editor at Chronicle Books, for always being available for help and advice during the writing of the book; to Carrie Bradley for her expert copyediting, additions, and suggestions; and all the staff at Chronicle Books. Also thanks to Mike Wooley, owner of Longs Meat Market in Eugene, Oregon, for his advice and quality meats. Special thanks to Brian Crow for his professional computer consulting and for developing my Web site, www.maryanavollstedt.com , and also for tasting recipes while on the job.

It is hearty, satisfying, nutritious, and homey, often bringing back happy memories when the fragrant, browned, and juicy loaf is presented at the table. Meatloaf has been a favorite in many countries for years, reportedly first appearing in this country toward the end of the nineteenth century. It has since become a family dining staple and an American classic, appealing to all ages. And with the renewed interest in comfort food, great homemade meatloaf is more popular than ever, and is often featured on the menu of upscale restaurants.

Though pleasing to the palate and offering complex layers of flavor, meatloaf is simplicity itself: a mixture of ground meat, starch, binder, liquid, vegetables, and seasonings made into a loaf and baked in the oven. Derived from traditional English meat-and-bread pudding and the renowned pts of France, the preparation is extremely versatile, lending itself well to a wide range of meats (as well as poultry and fish), vegetables, cheeses, herbs, spices, and other ingredients. A perfect meatloaf is a balance of ingredients that yields a tender yet firm loaf, with a blend of matching flavors.

In this book you will find an exciting selection of meatloaves for serving family and friends, with easy-to-find ingredients and straightforward directions. Featured here are recipes for all types of loaves, from rustic to sophisticated, classic to ethnic-inspired and other new creative combinations, along with sauces and toppings. In addition, there is a chapter featuring delicious variations poultry, seafood, and vegetarian loaves and another on complementary side dishes. Also included are helpful tips for preparing, baking, and serving meatloaf, and suggestions throughout for accompaniments.

Far from being limited to a single definitive recipe, meatloaf offers many possibilities for flavorful combinations and tempting sauces. I hope you enjoy the exciting array of choices in Meatloaf , and reach for this book whenever you need delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes that will please family or a crowd and add variety to your meal planning.

Meatloaves are a simple combination of meat, filler (starch), binder (egg), moistener (liquid), and flavorings (herbs, spices, ketchup, etc.). Toppings and sauces are often added for extra flavor and eye appeal.

MEATS Ground meats beef, veal, pork, sausage, ham , and lamb are the mainstay and body of the traditional meatloaf. Meatloaf can be made with one meat, or with a combination of meats for a more complex flavor. For best results, quality meats should be used. The standard proportion is 1 pound of ground beef and pound of another meat, typically ground pork, but the meats and proportions are interchangeable. This amount will fit into an average size 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and will serve 4 to 6 people. Some meat markets offer a meatloaf mix of equal portions of beef for flavor and texture, pork for succulence, and veal for smoothness. You can make your own mix using a food processor to grind the meat, but do not overprocess or the meatloaf will be too dense.

Beef Ground beef chuck. For best results, use lean meat with about 15 percent fat. Do not use extra-lean, as some fat is needed to enhance the flavor and prevent the meatloaf from drying out.

Pork Ground pork, ground pork sausage , and link sausage . Ground pork is all pork without seasonings. Pork sausage has seasonings and some fat added. Italian sausage has Italian seasonings added and is available mild or hot. Various types of link sausages (such as kielbasa, chorizo, andouille, and others) can be added for extra-spicy flavor.

Ground lamb and Veal These may be available fresh at your supermarket or butcher shop, or can be purchased frozen. If any frozen meat is used, thaw thoroughly in the refrigerator and pat dry with a paper towel.

Game Ground venison and buffalo are now appearing in some markets and can be substituted for other meats.

POULTRY AND SEAFOOD Ground turkey and ground chicken have recently become popular, offering leaner versions of the traditional meatloaf mixes. Cooked or canned salmon or other firm cooked fish, such as halibut or snapper, can also be used in a loaf.

VEGETARIAN BASES A mixture of vegetables, beans or other legumes, and/or cereal and nuts as the base for loaves will appeal to the vegetarian or to those on special diets.

FILLERS The main purpose of fillers, or the starch ingredients in a meatloaf mixture, is not to stretch the meat or the food-buying dollar, but to give the loaf body and texture and to absorb the flavorful juices. The most common filler is bread crumbs, either fresh or dried. Dried bread crumbs, in both fine and coarse grinds, are readily available in packages, in a range of styles and flavors Progresso is an excellent brand, or the light and fluffy panko (Japanese bread crumbs, found in Asian markets and well-stocked supermarkets) are a reliable choice. Different breads (also found in some packaged crumbs), such as whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, sourdough, cornbread, pita, challa, and focaccia, contribute their unique flavor and texture to the meatloaf. Other common fillers are crushed crackers; quick-cooking oats or other dry cereal; crushed tortilla chips; cooked rice, lentils or beans, pasta or potatoes; or instant grits or bulgur.