Market Street Meat Loaf with Fingerling Potatoes

from Silver Palate Cookbook

3 TBL unsalted butter
¾ cup finely chopped onion
¾ cup finely chopped scallions, white bulb and 3 inches of green
½ cup finely chopped carrots
¼ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup minced red bell pepper
¼ cup minced green bell pepper
2 tsp minced garlic
Salt, to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp ground white pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 eggs, well beaten
½ cup ketchup
½ cup half-and-half
2 lbs lean ground beef chuck
12 oz sausage meat (no fennel-flavored Italian sausage)
¾ cup fine fresh bread crumbs, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. Melt butter in a heavy skillet, and add the onion, scallions, carrots, celery, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the moisture from the vegetables has evaporated, 10 minutes. Set aside to cool; then refrigerate, covered, until chilled, at least 1 hour.
3. Combine the salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, cumin, nutmeg, and eggs in a mixing bowl, and beat well. Add the ketchup and half-and-half. Blend thoroughly.
4. Add the chuck, sausage, and bread crumbs to the egg mixture. Then add the chilled
vegetables and mix thoroughly with your hands, kneading for 5 minutes.
5. With damp hands, form the mixture into an oval approximately 17 x 4 ½ x 1 ½ inches – resembling a long loaf of bread.
6. Place the meat loaf in a baking dish, and place the dish inside a larger pan. Pour boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
7. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.
8. Remove the baking dish from the water bath, and let the meat loaf rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.


Fingerling Potatoes

Rinse fingerlings, pat dry, cut into bite-sized pieces with skins intact. Toss in EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and sprinkle with your favorite spices (i.e., S&P, thyme, rosemary). Roast in a covered casserole dish at 350° for 30 minutes or until tender.