Mom's Best Meat Loaf
Contributed by Susan
Source: Good Housekeeping Magazine, October 1996
Recipe by: Anne Rosenzweig, Lobster Club Restaurant, New York City
Prep: 45 minutes (or longer, depending on how quickly you chop)
Bake: 1 hour 30 minutes

Flavored with browned bacon, minced garlic, and fresh herbs, this is the
most popular of the 40 versions of Mom's Meat Loaf served at Anne
Rosenzweig's restaurant. It's an update of the one that cochef Patty
Gentry's mom, Karen Stevens, made often. Some favorite go-alongs from
the restaurant's kitchen: mashed potatoes; asparagus; and red potatoes
tossed with green and yelow beans.

3/4 pound sliced bacon, chopped
4 large leeks, white part only, rinsed well and chopped
3 medium red peppers, chopped (I used 2)
2 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 pounds ground beef chuck (I used equal parts ground beef and pork)
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
3 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (I read in another meatloaf recipe that
this is really important - just take several slices of bread, tear them
into pieces and process them in a food processor)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
parsley sprigs for garnish

In 12-inch skillet (I actually used a stockpot because there was no way
all the vegetables would fit in a skillet), cook bacon over medium-low
heat until browned. With slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towels to
drain. Pour off all but 1/4 cup bacon fat.

In bacon fat in skillet, cook leeks, red peppers, onions, and garlic
over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally. (I covered the vegetables while cooking, and I cooked them
longer than 15 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pan with
cooking parchment or foil.

In large bowl, mix ground beef, Dijon mustard, thyme, sage, rosemary,
hot pepper sauce, bacon, cooked vegetables, and 3 cups bread crumbs just
until well-combined but not overmixed.

In lined jelly-roll pan, shape meat into 10" by 5" loaf. Spread top with
tomato sauce, grated parmesan, and remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Bake
meat loaf 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let meat loaf stand 10 minutes before
slicing. Garnish with parsley if you like. Makes 12 main-dish servings.

Each serving: About 405 calories, 26 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 25 g
total fat (9 g saturated), 82 mg cholesterol, 630 mg sodium.