Recipe: Meat Loaf and Mushroom-Walnut Sauce (using Portobello mushrooms)

MEAT LOAF AND MUSHROOM-WALNUT SAUCE

FOR THE MEAT LOAF:
1 cup firmly packed torn pieces (1/2 inch) white bread (2 to 3 slices)
1 cup whole milk
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs ground beef chuck
1/2 lb ground pork
2 large eggs
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE MUSHROOM-WALNUT SAUCE:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cups stemmed portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup canned low-sodium chicken stock
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3/4 tsp toasted walnut oil
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

TO MAKE THE MEAT LOAF:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the bread in a small bowl, pour the milk over it, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the onion with the meats, eggs, garlic, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the bread and milk and gently mix with your hands until just combined. Form the meat mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf down the centerofa9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a meat thermometer stuck into the center of the loaf reads 155 to 160 degrees F. Take out of the oven.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
In a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high. Add the mushrooms and salt and cook, stirring, 5 minutes.

Add the garlic. Turn the heat down to low, stir in the flour, and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the stock, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up all the brown bits. Reduce the heat and simmer 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the parsley, walnut oil, and pepper.

Cut the meat loaf into thick slices, spoon some of the sauce on top, and serve.

Source: The Food You Want to Eat by Ted Allen