Stormy Weather Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 12 oz ground beef, 70% lean
• 12 oz ground pork, 80% lean
• 6 oz bacon or pancetta, medium dice
• 1 medium carrot, medium dice
• 1 small onion, medium dice
• 1 medium stalk celery, medium dice
• olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1-1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup full-bodied red wine
• 1 egg
• 6 T panko flakes or unflavored bread crumbs
• 2 T fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 3 T fresh tarragon leaves, minced
• 1-1/2 tsp fennel seed, freshly ground
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp hot sauce

Instructions

1. Place the meats in the freezer* while preparing the other ingredients, to allow them to reach a temperature around 34º before mixing. Place the mushrooms in 2 cups of hot water to soak 15 minutes.
2. Sauté the carrot, onion and celery slowly in a little olive oil until the onions become translucent. Remove from heat.
3. Carefully lift the mushrooms from the soaking liquid with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid. Allow them to drain over the bowl for a few seconds and then transfer to a sieve. Rinse the mushrooms in running water for a few seconds to wash away any grit.
4. Sauté the mushrooms in a little olive oil on medium heat for about three minutes, stirring.
5. Pour the soaking liquid into the pan through a fine-mesh strainer, leaving the last teaspoonful in the bowl with any remaining grit.
6. Add the wine, raise the heat and cook rapidly, stirring occasionally, to reduce the liquid to a thick, syrup-like glaze which will coat and cling to the mushrooms.
7. Combine the cold meat, carrot mixture, garlic, mushrooms, nutmeg, egg, panko, herbs, salt and hot sauce in a roomy bowl.
8. Mix quickly but thoroughly (I think this is best done with a pair of clean hands) and press into a loaf pan. Decorate if preferred with some artful carrot slivers, tarragon leaves, etc.
9. Bake in a 350º oven until the internal temperature reaches 150º. Remove from oven, wrap in foil and allow to rest 20 minutes.

Notes