72 Market St. Meatloaf

Source: 72 Market St. - Los Angeles, California

1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup minced green onion
3/4 cup minced white onion
1/2 cup minced carrot
1/2 cup minced celery
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/4 cup minced green bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork sausage,
    with no herbs or seasonings added
3/4 cup prepared bread crumbs

Meatloaf Gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
4 shallots, mixed
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
Dash of crushed peppercorns
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup veal or beef stock
1 cup chicken stock
2 Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the butter in a heavy skillet and add green onion, white onion, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and garlic.

Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until moisture has evaporated. Cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, cumin and eggs and mix well. Add catsup and half-and-half.

Blend thoroughly.

Add ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs and vegetable mixture. It might be easier to mix this with your hands. Grease a loaf pan and add meat mixture, pressing it into corners. Put loaf pan in a larger pan filled 1 inch high with boiling water. Bake in oven for 45 to 60 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with meatloaf gravy.

Gravy: In a heavy pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and saute shallots, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and red and yellow bell peppers over medium heat for 3 minutes.

Add wine and simmer over high heat until reduced by three-fourths, to make a glaze. Add veal stock and chicken stock and simmer, uncovered, over high heat until reduced by one-fourth. Add tomatoes and bring to slow simmer. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes.

Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain, discarding bay leaf and thyme before serving.

Makes 6 servings.