New Basics Meatloaf - For A Financially Black Week

As global financial markets splutter around the world, a glance back at history tells you that this is historically the worst week of the year. The crash of 1987 began on October 19th, (aka Black Monday), while the crash of 1929 began on October 24, with the worst day of trading on October 29th, (aka Black Tuesday). And the question for us all this week is whether the world economies can pass through this historically "black" week without any further catastrophes. Today everything looks OK, but the picture is changing so quickly at present. Fingers crossed there are no more disasters waiting for us. In any event, this is not a week for caviar and champagne, but a week for reigning in the family budget and rediscovering meatloaf.



As profoundly unfashionable as this will sound, I like meatloaf, both hot and cold, even in a sandwich with chutney. It is the sort of meal, where the leftovers are every bit as good as the original dish. This meatloaf recipe comes from "The New Basics" cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins and they attribute it to a restaurant in Venice California called 72 Market Street. It was apparently named the "ultimate meatloaf" by Vogue magazine (although I find it hard to imagine the models tucking in). Like all good meatloaf should be, it is hearty and wholesome, with lots of vegetables and spices adding flavour. It is also easy to make, although you will give your knife and chopping board a bit of a workout.

Market Street Meatloaf
adapted from "The New Basics" by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

3 tbls unsalted butter
1 large brown onion, chopped
1 bunch green onions, white and 8cm of green, chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
1/2 red capsicum, chopped
2 tsps minced garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup pouring cream
1 kg beef mince
400g sausage meat (you can squeeze it out of sausages if it is unavailable!)
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375C. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the onions, green onions, carrots, celery, capsicum and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the moisture from the vegetables has evaporated, 10 minutes. Set aside to cool; then refrigerate, covered, until chilled, at least 1 hour.

Combine cayenne, cumin, nutmeg and eggs in a mixing bowl, plus salt and pepper to taste, and beat well. Add the tomato sauce, milk and cream. Blend well. Add the mince, sausage and bread crumbs to the eggs. Then add the vegetables, and mix thoroughly with your hands, kneading for about 5 minutes.

Line a loaf tin with cling wrap. Fill the tin with the mixture, pressing down firmly so your meatloaf becomes loaf shaped, then invert the tin into a baking dish, discarding the cling wrap. Put the baking dish into a larger pan, and fill the large pan with boiling water, until the water reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Place the pan in the oven, being very careful not to spill hot water on yourself. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the water bath, and let the meatloaf rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.