Not your mothers Meatloaf

Tim mentioned a few days ago that he would like me to make meatloaf.  Yes we realize this is usually a cold weather meal, but it is also comfort food.  I gave it my own twist so it is filled with shitake mushrooms, celery, and v8 juice to give some extra spunk.   


Ingredients
1 medium onion finely chopped

4 ribs celery finely chopped

1/2 cup dried Shitake mushrooms (rehydrated and chopped)

salt/pepper/Red chili flakes to taste

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 tbs minced garlic

2 5.5 oz hot and spicy v8 juice

1 French hamburger bun or one thick slice of white bread

1.3 lb ground beef

1 egg

1 tbs Dijon mustard

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

 

Topping

1/2 cup ketchup

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Dash Hot sauce

1 tsp honey

 

In a sauté pan sprayed with olive oil, start cooking the onions and celery until soft.  Add the shitake mushrooms and cook for an additional minute.  Now add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper and red chili flakes.  Cook until Garlic begins to brown.  Add the V8 juice and cook until mixture becomes thick.  Turn heat off and let cool for about 5 to 10 minutes. 

 

Once the mixture has cooled, place into a food processor and pulse about 5 times.  Break bread into pieces and add to food processor and pulse an additional 5 to 10 times making sure all the bread pieces are broken up.  Now add the ground beef and pulse about 20 times until the mixture is combined. 

 

Preheat oven at 325. 

 

In a large bowl combine the egg, Dijon mustard, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  With your hands incorporate the beef mixture until everything is well combined.  Place in loaf pan and flip onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 10 minutes. 

 

In the meantime whisk the ingredients for the topping.  Brush over meat loaf after it has baked for 10 minutes.  Continue cooking for 40 minutes or until internal temperature is 160 degrees.  I like to broil it the last few minutes to get the topping to begin to bubble and brown.