If you'd consider a chef-inspired three-course meal for four for $20 the answer to your prayers, Chef on a Shoestring is a must-have. More often than not, following recipes shared by great chefs involves hours in the kitchen and breaking the bank, but this companion to the weekly segment of the same name on CBS's Saturday Early Show is proof that great food does not have to come at a great price.
Five years before opening his first Comfort Diner, Ira Freehof tasted the most incredible meatloaf he had ever experienced. Though he steadfastly refuses to identify the source, he persuaded the person who cooked it for him to share the recipe, then tucked it away and patiently waited to unleash it on the New York City dining population. When he did, in 1996, it met with peerless praise, such as that from Gourmet magazine's David Rosengarten, who called it "devastatingly delicious." Among its tricks are the inclusion of pork and the use of oatmeal instead of bread crumbs to retain as much moisture as possible.
Servings: 4
1 pound ground beef 80% lean
4 ounces ground veal
4 ounces ground pork (Note: A "meatloaf variety" pack of beef pork and veal may be used.)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup canned peeled tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
1/3 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Mushroom Gravy (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large bowl thoroughly combine the beef, pork, and veal. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, and then stir in the milk and oats. Pour the egg mixture into the meat mixture and combine thoroughly. Add the remaining ingredients and combine again until fully incorporated.
Form into a loaf in a roasting pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
Remove to a platter and keep warm while making the mushroom gravy. (Note: Be sure to reserve 1/2 cup drippings for the gravy.)
Mushroom Gravy
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup drippings from the meatloaf
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 large button mushrooms, thinly sliced
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pour the water into the meatloaf's roasting pan and stir and scrape with a wooden spoon or whisk to loosen the browned bits at the bottom.
Pour the reserved meatloaf drippings into a 2-quart saucepan and warm over medium heat. Gradually stir in the flour until smooth. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
Slowly stir in the liquid from the roasting pan and cook, stirring, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
