Meatloaf. I’ve never tried to make it myself, but the version of the Joy of Cooking recipe I prepared was instantly familiar from childhood. I don’t know why it’s rarely served in restaurants and is generally considered uncool; perhaps it’s because making a loaf out of meat instead of bread makes it sound like a joke. However, baking the ground beef in a thick layer makes it easy to control and refine the flavor, which is difficult to manage if you’re just preparing hamburger patties on the stove.
Take a pound of ground beef. I added two tablespoons of a paprika ketchup, which gave it a little kick that I don’t remember from home. Add horseradish if you have it, a little Worcester sauce, salt and pepper, half an onion, and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs. Bake for an hour and separate the fat from the loaf before serving. You could put it on the table with either gravy or more ketchup, and think of what you might be able to add to the loaf: Potatoes or sweet potatoes, leeks and herbs, even mushrooms.
(Photo: Puzzle, Duluth, Minnesota.)
365 Days of Food 