GMA Recipe: Meat Loaf with Mushroom Sauce from Wolfgang Puck

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Wolfgang Puck's Meat Loaf with Mushroom Sauce
From chef and author Wolfgang Puck
1997

We don't serve this in any of my restaurants, but I prepare it at home for my friends during the cooler months of the year. The recipe may look complicated, but even a novice in the kitchen will have excellent results and win rave reviews.

Ingredients

1 pound (about 4 large), preferrably Japanese, eggplants

5 to 6 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

2 shallots

1/2 pound mushrooms, minced

2 pounds medium ground lamb, veal, or pork, or meat combination

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Ingredients for Mushroom Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 cup port

1 cup Brown Veal Stock

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Equipment

9 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan

Large and smaller skillets

Large bowl

Baking pan with sides

Aluminum foil

Medium saucepan

Whisk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Oil a 9 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan.

2. Prepare the meat loaf. Trim the ends and cut a thin slice, lengthwise, from both sides of each eggplant. Cut into lengthwise slices, each about 1/4-inch thick. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil, and over medium high heat, lightly brown the eggplant slices on both sides, adding more oil as necessary. As the slices brown, remove to a baking pan. When all the slices have been browned, place in the oven and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, cool, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees.

3. In a smaller skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Saute the shallots until blond, add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for 3 or 4 minutes.

4. Using the best slices of eggplant, line the bottom and the long sides of the prepared loaf pan. Chop the remaining eggplant. In a large bowl, combine the chopped eggplant and the mushrooms with the ground meat. Stir in the eggs, garlic, cumin to taste, thyme, and the remaining salt and pepper and mix well. Fill the loaf pan with the meat mixture, patting down to level, and fold over the ends of the eggplant as necessary. Place the loaf pan in a larger baking pan and fill the larger pan with boiling water halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour 10 minutes, removing the foil after 35 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the potato puree. (See below!)

6. Prepare the mushroom sauce: In a saucepan, heat the olive oil. Over medium heat, saute the mushrooms, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the port and reduce by half. Add the stock and reduce just until the sauce thickens slightly. Whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

7. Remove the meat loaf from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Carefully pour the juices out of the pan, then invert onto a cutting board. Cut into 8 slices.

Presentation: Spoon a little potato puree in the center of each of 8 heated dinner plates. Arrange 1 slice of meat loaf on the puree and spoon some o9f the sauce, with the mushrooms, over the meat. Serve immediately, passing the remaining sauce in a small bowl.

To prepare ahead: In step 4, fill the loaf pan and refrigerate, covered. Thirty minutes before baking, remove from the refrigerator. Have your potatoes for puree ready. While the meat loaf is baking, prepare the puree and the sauce and keep warm. Continue with the recipe.

Note: If Japanese eggplants are not available, you can use American eggplants, trimming as necessary.

Potato Puree
Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds (about large) baking potatoes, peeled and quartered

2/3 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

1. Prepare the potato puree: In a medium saucepan, place the potatoes with lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Puree in a food mill, return to a clean pan, and keep warm.

2. Heat the cream and stir into the potatoes. In a small skillet, over moderate heat, melt the butter and cook until the butter is brown and has a nutty aroma. Pour into the potatoes, add the parsley, and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste and keep warm over simmering water.