Meatloaf de Ancho

The other day I saw a Rachel Ray show that got me inspired to come up with a new meatloaf recipe. She was using Ancho peppers to make tacos. I had never cooked with Ancho peppers and I was intrigued. So when my husband said he was in the mood for some meatloaf, I knew what I had to do….

Ancho Sauce

3 dried ancho peppers
3 c. of beef broth
3 tbs tomato paste

Add ancho peppers and broth to a pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes and let cool. Remove stems from ancho peppers. Put the entire contents of pan into a food processor and add tomato paste. Process until completely smooth and set aside.

Meatloaf

1.5 lb ground pork
1.5 lb ground beef
1 c. of uncooked oatmeal or bulgur
3 eggs
½ onion finely chopped
2 tsp salt
3 tbs of soy sauce
4 tsp oregano
5 tsp Penzeys chili 9000 (if you don’t have just add 2 tsp of cumin, and 2 tsp coco powder)
5 TBS tomato paste
About 1 c. of ancho sauce (see directions below)

Heat oven to 350.

The ancho sauce should yield about 2 cups. Mix all the above ingredients and add as much of the ancho sauce you can, but leave 1 c. in reserve. Mix until well incorporated. Put meatloaf into a baking dish and cover.

Bake meatloaf for 30 minutes. Remove cover and pour remaining ancho sauce over the meatloaf.

Put meatloaf back in the oven and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Mushroom Stuffed Meatloaf

This recipe is a bit of a break from my normal approach. I tried to task myself with coming up with a meatloaf that I felt was appropriate to serve at a nice dinner party. I don’t know if I accomplished it, it still is a meatloaf after all… but I did dress the girl up a bit. It is also a bit more complicated (okay not complicated, again it is just a meatloaf, but rather more involved) than my average fair. I do have to say I think it came out pretty good.
Meat mixture
2 eggs
2 TBS tarragon (Okay, I used tarragon but I really wanted to use marjoram but I was out of it.)
1 tsp of Fines Herbs (omit if you don’t have)
1 TBS salt
1TBS minced garlic
½ tsp Pepper
2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork
8 slices of bread that have been soaked in milk (about ¼ c milk)
Mix together and set aside
Mushroom Mixture
2 packages of mixed mushrooms (or portabella or whatever you like. ) shopped
4 shallots chopped
4 TBS butter
2 TBS Olive Oil
6 oz (two shot glasses worth) of dry sherry
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter and add oil. Sautee shallots for 3 minutes add chopped mushrooms, sherry, and salt and pepper and sauté for another 3 minutes. Set aside
Sauce
This is very much like a Marsala sauce and would have been if I had marsala so feel free to substitute.
3 TBS butter
3 TBS flour
1 C beef stock
2 c. dry sherry
Pinch of tarragon
2 TBS cream
Melt butter and add flour to form paste. Slowly add stock while whisking. Add sherry one cup at a time. Add tarragon and cook on high heat until sauce has thickened some. Add cream. Set aside.

In a large baking dish line bottom with ½ of the meat mixture. Bring the meat up the sides of the pan (you are essentially making a stuffed meatloaf ) forming a shallow cup of sorts. Put the mushroom mixture in the center and spread 1/3 of the sauce on top. Cover with remaining meat. Cover meat with 1/3 of sauce and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Heat the remaining sauce right before serving. Once you have the slice of meatloaf on the plate, over each serving spoon a little more sauce…enjoy.
If you don’t love mushrooms try making a bread stuffing with apples or pears, I think that would be really good as well.