Memphis Bleu Cheese Meatloaf
Please read the recipe thoroughly... ingredients, instructions and notes before you do attempt this. I'll try to give you as much info as I can, but remember it's more of a "guide" than recipe. Also, if you are going to leave out anything other than the onions, which is bad enough, leave it all out and make some hamburgers. Kidding. Kinda.
2 lbs. Ground beef
2 whole eggs
1 large onion
1 tomato
3 green onions
3 garlic ....CLOVES haha.
6 small button mushrooms
Fresh spinach. I think it comes in a 10 oz. package. Use about 3/4 of it. Or a good handful.
3 to 4 oz. of Gorganzola cheese crumbles.
1 cup tomato paste
Mushrooms. buttons are fine. Options...I like shiitake, 3/4 cup. Baby portobellos 3/4 cup.
Spinach. Raw Fresh. No substitutions.
Cheese. Please use Gorganzola. Acceptable subs blue cheese crumbles, goat cheese, Chèvre preferably. Feta. In that order.
Seasoning.
3-4 pinches of cayenne. Or to taste. At least 2
1/2 tsp fresh oregano fine chopped. Or 2-3 pinches of dried.
2 sprigs fresh rosemary. 1 for garnish.
Fresh ground pepper. Or other. To taste. (1-2 tsp) I like pepper.
Sea salt, to taste. ( 1-2 good pinches) the chez will add some. this could be another post, but I highly recommend sea salt for pretty much everything except baking.
Using a sharp knife, it's important that it's sharp. It's safer and a dull knife will mash more than cut, leaving most of the flavor on your cutting board. Cut the green onions thinly. Chop 1sprig of the Rosemary (I'll say it again later, but don't add the Rosemary, it goes ON last) and onion. Or the peppers, whatever you decide to use, and the garlic. Slice thin or chop the mushrooms. I like to slice them, but it doesn't matter, whichever way you're comfortable doing. Dice the tomato in small cubes. Include as much of the juice as you can.
If you want all three in one and no pork in 1, I suggest buying 2 lbs. beef, and one pound each of the other two. Go more rather than less on weights. (2.13 lb. better than 1.88 lb.)
Take half the beef and roll it in a packed tight ball and set aside. Mix the other half with the other two. Then with the mixture, pinch off some and make a ball just like the other. Both should be about a pound. That make sense? Should have 2 lbs. of the mix. 2 1/2 lb. burgers with the mixed ball would be good or experiment with another meatloaf with any leftover ingredients from this one.
Put the meat (we're working the main one right now, forget about the other til later.) in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, break them and release the inside, not the actual "whole" egg. Heh. Now add the veggies and mix well. Don't mix the meat then add the other stuff and mix again. More work and it will pulverize the meat, doest need any more than its gonna get .
Add the seasonings, minus the Rosemary and mix again. Well. HEY, Don't forget to leave out the Rosemary.
You got your meatloaf.
Now the funner part. It's hard for me to explain, but it's not crucial and it just sounds difficult. It's not, so just do it.
Lay out a piece of plastic wrap on the counter. About 2 ft. Long. Flatten the loaf on the plastic about 12-14 inches long and Leave about 2 inches on each side. got it?
Lay the spinach, whole leafs not chopped in the middle, like in a line from side to side. Don't chop it or tear it. You can pinch off extra long stems, but that's it. Lay the cheese next to it.
Using the plastic wrap, fold one end of the meatloaf to the opposite edge of the spinach. Then fold the other end over the whole thing and seal the flap. (Pinch it together).
If you don't have any chopped rosemary left over, I'm gonna reach through this screen and smack in the mouff.
Put the loaf in a pan or glass dish. Something like a 9x5x3. Spread the tomato paste on the top. It's best to leave the paste as is, no need to add anything to it other than......the Rosemary, the loaf itself has enough going on without mixing a flavorful sauce.
Now you can sprinkle the Rosemary on top.
Cook @ 425 degrees for about 45 minutes. It will probably take at least 45, and maybe even an hour. Just keep an eye on it after 30 minutes.
If you want. Leave off the sauce and Before you put the loaf in the pan, line the pan bottom an sides, with bacon or prosciutto. You know, like put the bacon in the pan where it comes up the sides of the pan. Overlap the bacon just slightly. Then put the loaf in the pan and fold over the excess bacon and cover with arumininum foil. Cook the same as above. When it's done, pour out the juices in a bowl or whatever, and turn it upside down on a platter. The top is going to be on the bottom of the plate. Unnerstanz?
Do what you want with the juice. Garbage or make a gravy that would be good for something, but not this meatloaf.
For your other one, Mix in whatever of the ingredients you want. Just use 1/2 or close to it. Follow these instructions where they apply.
I don't think I left out anything. Any questions just ask.
