Meatloaf Italian Style – California Wine Country

This truly delicious meatloaf it the product of the Italian immigrants who were instrumental in the development of the premium wind industry in California’s Sonoma County. Although it has its roots in Italian cuisine, like the people who created it you will find that it is now pure Californian. It utilizes our bounty of outstanding fresh produce and robust California red wine.

The Sauce

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped small

8 to 10 cloves of garlic, minced

1 smallish bell pepper, chopped small

1 stalk of celery, chopped small

2 to 3 large tomatoes, chopped small

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh basal leaves

1 tablespoon mixed dry herbs (Italian seasoning) or favorite minced fresh herbs

4 cups of defatted beef stock, or 2, 14.5 cans

1 xx oz can of tomato paste

1 cup full bodied red wine

1 to 2 bay leaves

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Sugar and red wine vinegar to taste (I like this sauce quite sweet and sour but it’s your choice)

Salt and fresh coarse ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet and gently sauté the first 4 vegetables until they are lightly caramelized. Add the next 4 ingredients and continue to sauté until the tomatoes have begun to release their juices, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the next 5 ingredients and simmer for about 30 minutes. Then add sugar and red wine vinegar to taste and continue to simmer until the sauce is quite thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves.

The Meatloaf

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

10 to 12 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 stalks of celery, chopped

¼ cup chopped parsley

1 tablespoon mixed dry herbs (Italian seasoning) or favorite minced fresh herbs

2 pounds of ground beef

2 cups of rolled oats or pre cooked rice or combination there of

3 to 4 raw eggs

2 tablespoons paprika

1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar

Salt and fresh coarse ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and gently sauté the onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery until lightly caramelized but not scorched. You may need to add a bit more oil during the sautéing. Add the parsley and herbs and continue to sauté for another minute or two. Put into a large bowl and allow to cool before adding the remaining ingredients. When cooled, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Make a small patty and sauté it to test for seasoning. Adjust the seasonings. Pack firmly into loaf pans. Set the loaf pans in a larger baking pan and half fill the larger pan with water. This provides a gentler heat and keeps drips from smoking in the oven. Put into a 350º oven for about ½ an hour. Then spread the top of the sauce generously with the sauce and return to the oven. Continue to spread the sauce on the top of the meatloaf for the remainder of the cooking time. About 1 to 1 ½ hours cooking time total. The sauce will form a lovely caramelized glade on top of the meat loaf.

If there is any sauce left put it in a separate dish to serve with the meat loaf. This is excellent served with pasta that is simply dressed with olive oil and fresh parmesan and some minced fresh basal.

Photo by G. Duncann – 2005

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Tastewells of Sonoma

is an online store offering you fine teas and herbs. We have also collected an excellent selection of gourmet pepper, including Long Peppers from Bali. You will be amazed by our selection of unique salts including Fleur de Sel, Pyramid Salt, Kosher Salt, Flake Salt and Hawaiian Red and Black salts.