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

Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce

For many Americans, the quintessential French stew is boeuf bourguignon—beef cooked in Burgundy red wine. The stew, featured regularly at Jacques Pépin’s mother’s restaurant, was made from tougher, cheaper cuts of beef, which had to be braised a long time to get tender and to stay moist.

For this beef stew, Jacques uses a special piece of the shoulder called the flatiron steak. This long, narrow piece is extremely lean, tender and moist, and it makes an ideal stew. He does not use stock, demiglace or even water. He makes his stew strictly with a robust red wine. This rich, winey beef stew is always a hit with his chef friends.

Pairing Suggestion

Though Jacques’s hearty stew is inspired by boeuf bourguignon, classically flavored with red Burgundy, he prepares his version with the rich red wines of the southern Rhône, particularly those made from the Carignan grape. Two great wines to seek out—for cooking and drinking—are the gently tannic 2004 Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss Perrières, from the Costières de Nîmes region, or the wild herb-scented 2004 Domaine de Nizas Carignan.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds beef from the flatiron part of the shoulder
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 bottle of red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 15 cipollini or pearl onions
• 15 cremini mushrooms
• 15 baby carrots
• 5-ounce piece of pancetta
• 1/4 cup water
• Dash of sugar
• Chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Buy about 2 pounds of beef from the flatiron part of the shoulder. Remove the skin or sinew from the top. Alternatively, use lean beef chuck in the same manner. Cut the meat into 8 pieces.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast-iron pot that is attractive enough for the table. Arrange the meat in one layer in the pot, and season it with salt and pepper. Cook on top of the stove over high heat for about 8 minutes, browning the meat on all sides.
3. Add 1 cup of finely chopped onion and 1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic. Cook over moderate heat for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 tablespoon of flour. Mix in well so that the flour doesn’t form lumps. Stir in 1 bottle of red wine. Add 2 bay leaves, a sprig of fresh thyme, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Stir well and cover.
4. Place the pot in the oven and continue to cook for about 1 1/2 hours; the meat should be soft and tender and the liquid properly reduced. The recipe can be prepared to this point up to a day ahead.
5. For the garnishes, peel 15 cipollini or pearl onions, wash 15 cremini mushrooms and peel 15 baby carrots. For the lardons, you will need one 5-ounce piece of pancetta. Bring the pancetta and 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan and simmer for about 30 minutes; drain. Cut the pancetta into 1/2-inch slices and then cut the slices into 1-inch-wide lardons.
6. Combine the onions, mushrooms, carrots and pancetta in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 cup of water and a good dash each of sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes; at this point, there should be practically no water left. Uncover and cook over high heat, sautéing the vegetables until nicely browned on all sides, about 4 minutes.
7. To serve, mix some of the vegetables and lardons into the stew and sprinkle the rest on top as a garnish. Add a little chopped fresh parsley and serve.

by Jacques Pépin

Pasta with Sausage, Basil and Mustard

In matching spicy sausage with a creamy mustard sauce and fragrant basil, British cookbook author Nigel Slater created a quick pasta supper with warm, mildly spicy flavors, perfect for a cool fall or winter evening.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound penne or medium shells
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 hot Italian sausages, meat removed from casings and crumbled (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons grainy mustard
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 cup thinly sliced basil

Directions:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the sausage meat and brown over moderately high heat, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, mustard and crushed red pepper and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the pasta and basil and toss to coat. Serve at once.

by Nigel Slater