Hearty Mushroom Loaf Recipes

CAJUN MUSHROOM LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the butter into a 4-quart pot and place over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion, garlic and thyme sprigs. Saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pot, stir, and raise the heat a bit. Cook the mixture until the liquid has cooked off, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk well. Add the cream, parsley and Cajun seasoning and whisk to combine. Add the mushroom mixture 1 serving spoonful at a time to temper the egg mixture, stirring well after each addition. Add the breadcrumbs and stir well.
• Spray the loaf pan with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper, and pour the mixture into the pan. Set in a large roasting pan and fill the pan with water halfway up the loaf pan. Place into the top half of the oven and bake until the center is set, about 60 to 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes before turning out onto a plate to slice.

MEAT LOAF WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

Steps:

• In a large, heavy-bottom sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat and add the onion, celery, marjoram, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are soft and translucent but not browned. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
• Once the vegetable mixture is cool, add the beef, veal, eggs, bread crumbs, and about 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix well with scrupulously clean or rubber-gloved hands. Use the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to grease a loaf pan and transfer the mixture to the pan, packing it down gently. Cover the loaf with foil and place the loaf pan on a sheet pan. Cook in the oven for 1 hour.
• Remove the foil and spread the top of the meat loaf with the tomato paste. Continue to cook for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 150˚F. Remove from the oven and let the meat loaf rest, in the loaf pan, on a wire rack.
• While it rests, make the gravy. In a large, heavy-bottom sauté pan, heat the butter until it foams and subsides. Add the diced mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until their released juices evaporate and the mushrooms begin to squeak against the surface of the pan when stirred. Add the shallots and salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook until the mushrooms get browned and the shallots are translucent or slightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir well to evenly coat. Cook over medium heat, stirring more or less constantly, for about 2 minutes, to cook off the raw flour taste, then stir in the stock. Whisk the mixture to pull the stuck flour up from the surface of the pan and into the gravy. Add a splash more stock or water if necessary if the mixture seems too thick, then reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Serve the meat loaf in slices, with the gravy ladled over or alongside. Accompany with mashed potatoes if you like.

CLASSIC MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the carrot, celery, onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic in a food processor, and pulse until very finely chopped, almost to a puree. Place the minced vegetables into a large mixing bowl, and mix in ground chuck, Worcestershire sauce, and egg. Add Italian herbs, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix gently with a wooden spoon to incorporate vegetables and egg into the meat. Pour in bread crumbs. With your hand, gently mix in the crumbs with your fingertips just until combined, about 1 minute.
• Form the meatloaf into a ball. Pour olive oil into a baking dish and place the ball of meat into the dish. Shape the ball into a loaf, about 4 inches high by 6 inches across.
• Bake in the preheated oven just until the meatloaf is hot, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, ketchup, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce. Stir until the brown sugar has dissolved.
• Remove the meatloaf from the oven. With the back of a spoon, smooth the glaze onto the top of the meatloaf, then pull a little bit of glaze down the sides of the meatloaf with the back of the spoon.
• Return meatloaf to oven, and bake until the loaf is no longer pink inside and the glaze has baked onto the loaf, 30 to 40 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loaf should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Cooking time will depend on shape and thickness of the meatloaf.

FALAFEL MUSHROOM LOAF

Steps:

• Make the Meatloaf:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" loaf pan with cooking spray.
• Working in batches, pulse mushrooms, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, and cardamom in a food processor, scraping down sides as needed, until coarsely chopped, 30-45 seconds; transfer to a large bowl.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of the mushroom mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges begin to crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to another large bowl; repeat with remaining mushroom mixture.
• Meanwhile, pulse chickpeas in food processor until coarsely chopped; add to bowl with cooked mushroom mixture. Add egg, chickpea flour, cilantro, parsley, and salt and gently stir to combine, being careful not to mash mixture too much. Spoon mixture into prepared loaf pan and bake until edges are browned and center is completely set, 75-90 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool 30 minutes, then invert onto a cutting board.
• Make the Tahini Sauce:
• While meatloaf cools, purée garlic, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and 1/2 cup water in food processer until very smooth.
• Serve the meatloaf:
• Slice meatloaf into 2" pieces and transfer to a platter. Top with Tahini Sauce, pomegranate seeds, mint, and parsley.
• Do ahead
• Loaf can be made 3 days ahead; Tahini Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Keep both chilled.

CAJUN MUSHROOM LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350*F.
• Put the butter into a 4-quart pot and place over medium heat. When butter has melted, add onion, garlic and thyme sprigs. Saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pot, stir, and raise the heat a little. Cook the mixture until the liquid has cooked off, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk well. Add the cream, parsley and Cajun seasoning and whisk to combine. Add the mushroom mixture one serving spoonful at a time to temper the egg mixture, stirring well after each addition. Add the breadcrumbs and stir well.
• Spray the loaf pan with cooking spray, line with wax(or parchment) paper, and pour the mixture into the pan. Set in a large roasting pan and fill the pan with water halfway up the loaf pan. Place into the top half of the oven and bake until the center is set, about 60-70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes before turning out onto a plate to slice.

HEARTY COUNTRY MEATLOAF WITH SOUR CREAM GRAVY

Steps:

• Tear the bread into small pieces and soak in a large mixing bowl with the milk while you prepare the rest of the loaf.
• Melt the butter in a small skillet and saute the mushrooms, onion and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Let cool.
• Mix the vegetables and meat into the bread mixture with your hands.
• Add the eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, marjoram, thyme, salt and pepper; mix by hand in a circular motion.
• Form into a free-form 9" x 5" loaf.
• Drape with the bacon and place on a greased rack in a broiler pan.
• Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for about 1 hour and 15 to 30 minutes, or until browned and meat is cooked through.
• Lift off the rack and keep warm while making the gravy.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the pan drippings into a small saucepan.
• Stir flour into the drippings until smooth.
• Cook, stirring, over medium heat 3 minutes.
• Gradually stir in the stock and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and cook until thickened.
• Stir in the sour cream; heat through but do not boil.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a heated sauce boat and sprinkle with parsley.