My Meatloaf (Meat)

Member Name: sweetpea01

Product:	Meat
Date:	19/01/09 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Its hearty and filling

Disadvantages: Time

This recipe I will be reviewing is real comfort food. Perfect for a winters night where you want to eat something warm and filling. A dish which leaves you satisfied and incredibly full!

Meatloaf is such a versatile dish. It can be made with ground beef, pork and lamb, but it's generally beef. Meatloaf originates in Germany but it is the older sister to the Italian meatballs!! It's basically one big meatball just made into a loaf shape!! Nowadays whenever you hear meatloaf you think of America! It's one of those things which was used alot in sitcoms!

This recipe is something I have adapted from the usual meatloaf recipe. I find it works really well, however it does fill me up quite alot but the boyfriend loves it!

Ingredients:-

30 g butter, plus extra for greasing
1 onion, chopped finely (red or white)
1 small red (bell) pepper, cored, deseeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped (I like alot of garlic!!)
500 g minced lean beef
30 g soft white breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
90 g short pasta, such as fusilli
4 bay leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
Cheese Sauce (see below)
175 g bacon rashers, rind removed
salt and pepper
salad leaves, to garnish (I like spinach and pea shoots)

Method:-

1. Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and pepper for about 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.

2. Put the meat into a large bowl and mash it with a wooden spoon until it becomes a sticky paste. Tip in the fried pepper and onion and stir in the breadcrumbs, cayenne, lemon juice, lemon rind and parsley. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling water to which you have added salt and the olive oil. When it is almost tender, drain in a colander. Stir the pasta into the cheese sauce.

4. Grease a 2 lb loaf tin and arrange the bay leaves in the base. Stretch the bacon rashers with the back of a knife blade and arrange them to line the base and the sides of the tin.

5. Spoon in half the meat mixture, level the surface and cover it with the pasta. Spoon in the remaining meat mixture, level the top and cover the tin with foil.

6. Cook the meat loaf in the preheated oven, 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4, for 1 hour, or until the juices run clear and the loaf has shrunk away from the sides of the tin. Pour off any excess fat from the tin and turn the loaf out on a warmed serving dish. Garnish with the salad leaves and serve hot.

Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:-

Cheese Sauce
30 g butter
1 tbsp flour
250 ml milk
2 tbsp single cream
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
salt and pepper
45 g mature Cheddar, grated
1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan

Method:-

1. Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.

2. Gradually pour on the milk, stirring all the time. Stir in the cream and season the sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

3. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes to reduce, then remove it from the heat and stir in the cheeses. Stir until the cheeses have melted and blended into the sauce.

Okay this dish might take a while to prepare but it is well worth it!! It's incredibly tasty and filling and is always great the next day heated up!!!

Summary: A great allround dish