Cookin' with Moxie

This recipe comes from Andrew Curren, the chef at 24 Diner in Austin, TX. He claims that he serves “chef-inspired comfort food” and I say SIGN ME UP! This meal is currently on his menu for $13.95. Can you believe that? A meal this good only costs that much? Hard to believe. I think Shaun owes me $13.95 now – it’s only fair.

Andrew Curren is also a contestant on Top Chef Texas, which you can watch on Wednesday nights. I have all of those episodes on my DVR waiting for me to watch so I actually don’t know if he has been eliminated yet. If he made this meatloaf on the show, I doubt it! I’m am pretty pumped about the show this season strictly because it is set in Texas. All the new rage now is big flavors and the food coming out of Texas (Austin in particular). Whether it’s from a food truck, a hot new restaurant downtown or the farmers market, they have good food everywhere. On my Christmas list is even a fellow blogger’s new cookbook, The Homesick Texan. Plus, my brother Michael lives in Austin now and I miss him very much. This meatloaf is in honor of Mikey!

Meatloaf is a classic American comfort food that I think every family grew up eating. You may not have had it taste like this though… There is no ketchup over the top but there are studs of fresh vegetables poking through and chunks of gooey Monterey Jack cheese running through it. The combination of beef and pork adds nice contrast. It is very well seasoned so you don’t need to dip it in extra ketchup or anything like that. It was delicious on it’s own but the Creamy Onion Gravy takes it to a whole new level.

Meatloaf with Creamy Onion Gravy (from Food & Wine magazine, November 2011)
Ingredients:

• 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

Directions:

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. Serves 12.* Look at all the yummy cheese and crispy bits on the pan! *

Creamy Onion Gravy (from Food & Wine magazine, November 2011)
Ingredients:

• 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

Directions:

1. 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.
2. 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. Makes about 5 cups.

When you read the recipe for gravy in the magazine, it says “It is also excellent on sandwiches.” I believe this gravy would be good on a piece of leather, that’s how amazing it tastes. I am usually not a sucker for cream-based gravies, but this one is a keeper. The caramelized onions really balance out the thickness of the heavy cream. The only mistake I made when cooking up this sauce was cutting the recipe in half. I always learn from my mistakes and won’t be doing that one again – you can bet on that!

Tutti Mangia!

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