THIS IS NOT YOUR MOTHER’S MEAT LOAF
Ingredients:
1 oz dried Porcini mushrooms (soaked in boiling water for 30 mins)
1/2 lb fresh shitake mushrooms, stems removed thinly sliced
1 cup soft fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbls olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbls Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbls kosher or sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground veal or turkey
6 thin slices Panchetta, Proschiutto or bacon
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add the dried porcini mushrooms. Reduce heat to a slight boil and boil the porcini mushrooms for 30 minutes. Add additional boiling water if needed. Let cool to room temperature.
Remove dried porcini mushrooms from liquid and coarsely chop. In a small bowl, soak breadcrumbs in cream while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and add onion to soften (about 5 mins), then add garlic and sauté for
about 2 mins, stirring frequently.
Remove from skillet and set aside. Add remaining olive oil and increase heat to high, put all mushrooms in skillet and sauté about 5 minutes, or until liquid is removed from the mushrooms. Return the onion and garlic to the mushrooms, stir in eggs, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper and mix well. Add ground meat, breadcrumbs and cream, knead gently with hands until thoroughly combined. Lay aluminum foil on cookie sheet with sides or large baking pan or roaster and spray with non -stick cooking spray. Form meat into one large or two smaller
loaves on the foil and lay Panchetta, Proschiutto or bacon strips over the top of the loaf. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until internal temperature is about 155 degrees. Let sit 10 to 20 minutes to cool slightly before slicing. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.
Note: The cream and breadcrumbs will form a ball that needs to be crumbled before combining with the other ingredients.
B-man 