A meatloaf from “A Meatloaf in Every Oven” book. This one comes from the chef Michael White whose NYC restaurant Marea on the South side of Central Park is famous for upscale pasta and celebrity watching. For years, I walked by this restaurant several times a week to my favorite barre studio in the city. Never had their much talked about pasta but saw quite a few famous faces hanging around.
This meatloaf definitely has to be baked in a loaf pan, it would not hold the shape on its own. The result is a silky smooth texture with fennel seeds reminiscent of Italian sausage. The loaf is large — 2 lb of meat, almost 2 cups of bread, and a large eggplant — lot’s of leftovers. But with time, the flavor only seems to improve on the second day and even third.
MEATLOAF
— 1 large eggplant, quartered lengthwise
— 2 slices of white bread
— 1/4 cup heavy cream
— 2 lb ground chicken (dark meat is better)
— 2 tsp fennel seeds
— 2 garlic cloves, crushed
— 2 eggs, lightly beaten
— 1 cup panko bread crumbs
— 1/2 cup grated pecorino
— 1/2 cup grate parmesan
— 2 tsp salt
— 1 cup roughly chopped basil
THE PROCESS
1. Roast the eggplant in a 400°F oven for 30 minuets
2. Soak bread in cream
3. Pulse bread and eggplant together in a blender until uniform.
4. Mix everything besides basil in a bowl of a stand mixer on low speed until incorporated, about 2 but not more that 3 minutes.
5. Fold in basil.
6. Press the mixture into a loaf pan.
7. Bake uncovered at 350° for about an hour until the internal temperature gets to 165°F. That should take about an hour, but the timing depends upon the size of the eggplant.
8. Rest for 10 min and serve.
POTATOES
— 2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
— about 3 Tbsp duck fat
— 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
— 1 Tbsp thyme leaves
— 2 garlic cloves, crushed
— salt and pepper to taste
— 1/2 cup grated parmesan or pecorino
THE PROCESS
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Grease a round or rectangular pan with some of the duck fat.
3. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, besides cheese, together and thoroughly coat potatoes with everything.
4. Place half of the potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan, cover with half of the cheese. Repeat the layer finishing with cheese.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about an hour.
6. Uncover and either bake for another 15 min or broil for about 5, until the top is browned and crispy.