Meatloaf with Red Wine Glaze

I guess meatloaf is one of those "comfort foods" for most people. One of those things you remember eating as a kid, one of those things your mom used to make, a classic... For me, meatloaf never really fell into that category. I would never have picked it as one of my favorites. Honestly, I never ever liked meatloaf as a kid. My mom would make it occasionally, but I just never really liked it. (Sorry, Mom. EVERYTHING else you made was the BEST... meatloaf just wasn't one I liked.) As an adult, I've come to really enjoy a warm and delicious meatloaf - but never the traditional kind with the ketchup or tomato sauce mixture slathered on the top. I prefer mine with a nice gravy and some potatoes on the side. (I'll have to give my mom's meatloaf another try.) This meatloaf recipe here is fantastic - moist, full of luscious flavor, and perfect with a red wine reduction sauce. Everyone at my house loved it!

Meatloaf with Red Wine Glaze
2 slices sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons italian parsley, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sage, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon salt
pinch black pepper
pinch nutmeg
pinch cayenne pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs (Italian seasoned if you have it)
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground lamb*
1/2 pound ground pork*
1/2 pound ground veal*
vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups dry red wine (I used a cabernet)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 teaspoon molasses
pinch allspice

*You can use a different combination of the meat if you like, depending on what's available at your local market. I used half lamb and half pork.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the bread pieces with the milk, the whole egg, egg yolk, chopped parsley, sage, thyme, salt, black pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Mash to a thick, smooth paste. Add the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and stir until thoroughly combined.

In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat until softened (about 10 minutes). Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, 1 minute longer. Let cool, then transfer to the bowl. Add the lamb, pork and veal and knead until evenly combined.

Brush a medium oval baking dish with oil. Transfer the meat loaf mixture to the dish and pat it into a 4-by-12-inch oval loaf. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until firm but not quite cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the red wine with the sugar, chopped tomato, molasses and allspice and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil until the glaze is thick and syrupy, about 15 minutes.

Brush half of the glaze over the meat loaf. Continue baking for about 20 minutes longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 150 degrees. Brush the meatloaf once more with the remaining glaze during baking. Let the meat loaf rest for 15 minutes. 

Serve thick slices with mashed red potatoes.

This may be come one of your favorite "comfort foods" perfect for a white winter day...

recipe from FoodandWine.com