Comfort Food - Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

This is a particularly good meatloaf recipe
The actual recipe called for Ground Beef and Ground Pork
As I have a member of my family who doesn't like pork
No allergy… just not keen, so I bought some very good Italian Pork Style Sausage
instead, hoped he wouldn't notice
No complaints from, the non-porker, so my plan worked!

Once again The Epicurious Website supplied this idea

Ingredients

        1 cup fine fresh breadcrumbs
        1/3 cup whole milk
        1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
        1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
        4 garlic cloves
        2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil, I use Ricebran oil
        2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
        1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
        3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
        600 gms ground beef chuck,
        6 Italian Style Sausages, skin removed
        2 large eggs
        1/2 cup ketchup, divided, plus more for serving

Preparation

      
Preheat oven to 175C
Line a rimmed baking sheet or 13x9" shallow baking dish with foil.

Soak breadcrumbs in milk in a large bowl until ready to use.
Pulse onion, celery, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
(Alternatively, you can finely chop by hand.)
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium.
Add onion mixture, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-7 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in Worcestershire, and scrape into bowl with breadcrumb mixture.

Add beef, sausages, eggs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining 1 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper,

then mix with your hands to combine.

Form meatloaf mixture into a long, well-packed, approximately 5"-wide loaf shape on prepared baking sheet.

Brush top of loaf with 1/4 cup ketchup.

Bake meatloaf about 30 - 40 minutes, Slide a skewer into the middle of the meatloaf
lift out the skewer place it on your lip
if it's hot
It's done

Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

To accompany this yummy Meatloaf
Chef Bobby Flay's Mashed Potato
Mashed potato using Creme Fraiche and a Lemon Vinaigrette with Fresh Herbs

Bobby's recipe called for fresh Oregano, I used that but the kids and I thought it was perhaps a little strong, so I have changed the herb to Mint for this version
Much better
Ingredients
FOR THE MEYER LEMON VINAIGRETTE

    2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
    1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
    ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf Parsley leaves
    ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh Mint

FOR THE POTATOES

    2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
    Kosher salt
    ½ cup crème fraiche
    Finely grated zest of 1 Meyer lemon
    2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
    2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano
    2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
    Ground black pepper

The Creme Fraiche mix on the left, The Vinaigrette on the right

For the Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette:
In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice and mustard until combined.
Slowly add olive oil, whisking until emulsified.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir in parsley and mint 
Set aside.
   
For the Potatoes:
Put potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water by 2 inches and add 1 tablespoon salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to simmer, cover and cook until fork-tender,
about 20 minutes.
Drain well, return potatoes to the pan and put back over low heat, stirring a few times, to dry well.
   
Add crème fraîche, lemon zest, parsley, mint and chives.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Gently crush with a potato masher until combined.

If desired, potatoes may be covered and kept in a warm oven for up to 30 minutes.
To serve, transfer to a bowl and drizzle with Meyer lemon vinaigrette while still hot.

And for the Greens
Broccoli, The Kid's Favourite

So so simple, to cook Broccoli this way
You need
Broccoli
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
Zest of a lemon 
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

You really just want to blanch the Broccoli
Break the Broccoli in manageable florets,
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil
Add the Broccoli
Bring back to the boil
cook for about 3 minutes
Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process

Set aside
Just before serving

In a pan add 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Add Garlic and lemon zest, sea salt and black pepper
Toss around, don't brown the garlic, it will get bitter
Add the Broccoli
Toss well and make sure it is heated through

Serve
A Perfect Dinner for Kids and Non Kids