My spin on 1770 House Meatloaf from Barefoot Contessa

So Ina Garten recently released another cookbook.
Barefoot Contessa FOOLPROOF. I have been obsessively reading it for the past week and a half. Pouring over each recipe again and again. Becoming familiar with them.



I have posted several recipes that were versions of Barefoot. In fact you may recognize the bruschetta on the cover of it :) I LOVE her cookbooks. I love the simple layout. The beautiful photos. I love how she always includes an anecdote that tells a little bit about why she loves each recipe. I read her cookbooks like a fine novel. She writes so you hear her voice. Like a guardian angel in looking over your shoulder while you create. Whispering to watch for this or wait for that. Little notes in the margins so you are sure to succeed. I never have tried a recipe and thought Oh I can't do that.

Cooking is not only her job, but her passion, and the thing that makes her happy. I SO identify with how much she enjoys feeding her husband and friends. She is so relaxed and she instructs you about being organized so you can relax too.
Pretty much all of her recipes are from scratch. That is something I respect but can not always pull off. So while I am sure her meals taste even more divine then mine, I am also sure that mine taste pretty damn good for being semi-homemade. The best part though is that her recipes are great either way.

So 2 things immediately entered my mind as soon as I decided that I wanted her meatloaf for dinner. The first things being I did not have ground beef or ground veal. The second that I did NOT want to go to the store.

That being said I am going to post Barefoot's version of 1770 House Meatloaf, then tell you what I did differently. 1770 House is one of her favorite restaurants in East Hampton. That's just one more thing I love about Ina Garten. She is not afraid to talk up another chef, when she loves what they make!

2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 cups chopped onion (1 large)
1 1/2 cups small-diced celery (2 stalks)
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
3 extra-large eggs,
2/3 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread flakes)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Heat olive oil in a large 12 inch pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent but not browned. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place the beef, veal and pork, parsley, thyme, chives, eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Put the panko in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until panko is finely ground.

Add the onion mixture and the panko to the meat mixture. With clean hands, gently toss the mixture together, making sure its combined but not compacted.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Pat the meat into a flat rectangle and then press the sides until it forms a cylinder down the middle of the pan (this will ensure no air pockets) Bake for 40-50 minutes, until thermometer inserted in the middle reads 155-160 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve hot! She serves with a garlic sauce.

NOW HERE"S HOW I DID IT! I am highlighting in red, what I did differently do to lack of ingredients or time.

2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 cups chopped onion (1 large)
1 1/2 cups small-diced celery (2 stalks)
2 pounds ground turkey
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon freeze dried chopped chives
4 large eggs
2/3 cup 1% milk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread flakes)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. This is when I chopped my celery and onion. I would have used my mini chopper if I could find it. (Darn!) So I hand chopped everything nice and small, realizing that my family would be find if they just didn't realize it was in there :)

Heat olive oil in a large 12 inch pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent but not browned. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place the turkey and pork, parsley, thyme, chives, eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. I did not food process the panko. I just poured it by the cup or so into my hand and ground it between my fingers until it looked a little more finely ground.

Add the onion mixture and the panko to the meat mixture. With clean hands, gently toss the mixture together, making sure its combined but not compacted.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Pat the meat into a flat rectangle and then press the sides until it forms a cylinder  (this will ensure no air pockets) I made 3 smaller meatloaves instead of one big one. Last time I made 1 big one it took longer then 60 minutes. This baked for 40-50 minutes, until thermometer inserted in the middle reads 175-180 degrees.

 Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve hot!

I served it with a store bought Brown Gravy 

There is just something about meatloaf, peas, mashed potatoes and gravy!

 Clean plate club! Cam complained and complained until finally he gave in and took a bite...then proceeded to clean his plate! We all did. YUM is right!

I made enough that we all ate our fill and we still had 1 whole and 1 half left. Looks like we are having yummy meatloaf another night. Lucky us :)

 There is nothing better then craving something for dinner and then having it turn out as good as you hoped. This was that meal. I could have licked my plate clean but I refrained :) Ok maybe just a little lick. I hope you'll try it soon!

enJOY!