Meat Loaf with Red Wine Glaze

The Food

Shea Gallante brushes his meat loaf with a red wine glaze, which caramelizes as it bakes. The glaze also makes the meat loaf especially easy to pair with red wine.

The Wine

Meat loaf that isn’t heavily seasoned can pair with almost any full-bodied red. Try a firm Cabernet like the 2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped sage
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium white onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• 1 1/4 cups dry red wine
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon unsulfured molasses
• Pinch of ground allspice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the bread pieces with the milk and mash to a paste. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, chopped parsley, sage, thyme, salt, black pepper, nutmeg and cayenne and stir until smooth. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and dry bread crumbs and stir until thoroughly combined.
2. In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 7 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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°; brush once more with the remaining glaze during baking. Let the meat loaf rest for 15 minutes, then thickly slice and serve.

by Shea Gallante

Quick-Roasted Chicken with Mustard and Garlic

For this delicious, mustardy chicken, Jacques Pépin splits the chicken and cuts between the leg and shoulder joints to halve the cooking time.

Ingredients:

• One 4-pound chicken
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Using poultry shears, cut along each side of the chicken backbone and remove it. Turn the chicken breast side up and press on the breast bone to flatten the chicken. Using a sharp knife, cut partway through both sides of the joint between the thighs and the drumsticks. Cut partway through the joint between the wings and the breast.
2. In a bowl, mix all of the remaining ingredients. Turn the chicken breast down and spread it with half of the mustard mixture. Set the chicken in a large skillet skin side up; spread with the remaining mixture.
3. Set the skillet over high heat and cook the chicken until it starts to brown, 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for 30 minutes, until the skin is browned and the chicken is cooked through. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, cut it into 8 pieces and serve.

Make Ahead:
The chicken can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.

Serve With:
Mashed potatoes.

by Jacques Pépin

Garlicky Shrimp with Olive Oil

At La Casa del Abuelo, a tiny taberna in Madrid, gambas al ajillo (shrimp with garlic) are cooked in individual earthenware cazuelitas and served with plenty of bread to dip into the garlicky oil once the shrimp have been eaten. This dish can also be prepared in a skillet.

Pairing Suggestion:
Dry sherry is great with the sweet shrimp. Try Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla or Emilio Lustau Papirusa Manzanilla.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 whole dried red chiles
• 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
• 2 pounds shelled and deveined medium shrimp
• Salt
• Crusty bread, for serving

Directions:

• In a very large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic, chiles and parsley and cook over moderately high heat for 10 seconds, stirring. Add the shrimp and cook over high heat, stirring once, until they are pink and curled, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to small bowls. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes:

• Sprinkle the shrimp after they're cooked with a crunchy sea salt, like flaky Maldon salt from England or chunky Sanlucar salt from Spain.

by Jeff Koehler

Caramelized Broccoli with Garlic

Irresistible is the best word to describe chef David Gingrass’s richly browned broccoli that is seasoned with garlic, lemon juice and red pepper.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 heads of broccoli (1 1/4 pounds total), stems peeled and heads halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

• In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the broccoli, cut side down, cover and cook over moderate heat until richly browned on the bottom, about 8 minutes. Add the water, cover and cook until the broccoli is just tender and the water has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the garlic and the crushed red pepper and cook uncovered until the garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season the broccoli with salt and black pepper, drizzle with the lemon juice and serve.

by David Gingrass

Eggplant Parmesan with Crisp Bread Crumb Topping

This eggplant Parmesan is all it should be: delicate slices of fried eggplant nestled in a bright, tangy tomato sauce, layered with gooey fresh mozzarella. The best part is the exceptionally crisp topping, made with dry bread crumbs.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus about 2 cups for frying
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• Two 28-ounce cans whole, peeled Italian tomatoes, drained
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 small eggplants ( 1/2 pound each), cut lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped basil
• 1 pound lightly salted fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced and torn into small pieces
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is very thick, about 25 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, in a very large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil. Season the eggplant slices with salt and pepper. Working in several batches, cook the eggplant over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes per batch; add more olive oil to the skillet between batches. Drain the eggplant slices on paper towels.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange one-third of the fried eggplant slices in the baking dish and sprinkle all over with 1 tablespoon of the chopped basil. Top with one-third of the torn mozzarella and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat this layering twice. Sprinkle the bread crumbs all over the top of the eggplant Parmesan. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 45 minutes, until the top of the eggplant Parmesan is golden and the tomato sauce is bubbling. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead:

• The assembled eggplant Parmesan can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring the eggplant Parmesan to room temperature before baking.

Serve With:

• Green salad and crusty Italian or peasant bread.

Notes:

• This dish is extremely versatile. The eggplant can be sliced lengthwise or crosswise before it’s fried. In addition, the eggplant Parmesan can be baked in a glass or ceramic baking dish that is round, oval, rectangular or square.

by Ethan Stowell