Ground Venison Meatloaf

   
     Since venison is leaner than other red meat, we've mixed in some ground pork for extra richness. Serve as main course or in small slices, chilled, as an appetizer.

Makes 8 servings

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1½ pounds ground venison
• ¾ pound ground pork
• ½ cup soft fresh bread crumbs
• One-third cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon rubbed sage
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• One-third cup plum jam, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 egg

1. Prehat oven to 350F ; lightly oil 9x5x3-inch loaf pan, set aside.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over low heat ; add onion and cook until softened, 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Transfer to large bowl, cool to room temperature ; add venison, pork, bread crumbs, milk, salt, sage, allspice, pepper, jam, bourbon and egg, and mix well to combine.
4. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan ; pack down and smooth top with rubber spatula, cover with aluminium foil.
5. Bake in preheated oven (350F) for 1 hour or until firm and cooked through ; cool 10 minutes in pan and carefully drain.
6. Invert loaf onto serving platter ; serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.

BON APPETIT

Mini-pains de viande gratinés

4 portions

• 500 gr boeuf haché mi-maigre
• 45 ml ketchup
• 80 ml germe de blé
• 1 oeuf battu
• 1 oignon haché
• 375 ml sauce tomate
• 60 m basilic haché
• Sel et poivre au goût
• 375 ml cheddar léger moyen de la Fromagerie L'Ancêtre rapé

1. Préchauffer le four à 450F (230C).
2. Dans un bol, mélanger le boeuf, le ketchup, le germe de blé, l'oeuf battu, l'oignon et 125 ml de sauce tomate ; incorporer le basilic, le sel et le poivre.
3. Huiler 8 petits moules à pain de 4x2½-po. ou les alvéoles d'un moule à muffin.
4. Répartir la préparation dans les moules ; napper avec le reste de la sauce tomate et parsemer de fromage.
5. Cuire au four 20 minutes.

Zoom sur : Le cheddar léger moyen de la Fromagerie L'Ancêtre

     Contenant aussi peu que 18% de matières grasses, c'est-à-dire 40% moins de gras que le cheddar L'Ancêtre régulier, le cheddar léger moyen s'avère  une solution de choix pour les gens qui privilégient une saine alimentation. Fait de lait biologique québécois non pasteurisé, sans lactose, sans gluten et sans substances laitières modifiées, il est vieilli 6 mois pour offrir un goût hautement savoureux.

BON APPÉTIT

Lone star dry rub

                 A dry rub is  a mixture of spices that serves the same purpose as a marinade. It coats the surface of food enhancing the flavor, and during the cooking process adds a crusty texture. This is an all-purpose rub, suitable on almost anything you barbercue. Add or subtract spices according to your taste or to complement whatever you're smoking.

Makes about 2 cups

• ¾ cup paprika
• ¼ cup ground black pepper
• ¼ cup chili powder
• ¼ cup salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne

1. Mix the spices thoroughly in a bowl.
2. You can store leftover rub in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator, but it will lose potency over time.

BON APPETIT

Italian Meatloaf

     The cottage cheese and mozzarella topping make this meat loaf especially rich.

Makes 6 servings

• 12 ounces lean ground chuck
• 4 ounces ground pork or sausage
• 1 cup fresh soft bread crumbs
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon leaf oregano, crumbled
• ½ teaspoon leaf basil, crumbled
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• ¾ cup lowfat cottage cheese
• ½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella (2 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 350F ; grease 8½x3½x2½-inch loaf pan.
2. Combine chuck, pork, bread crumbs, half the tomato sauce, 1 egg, oregano, basil and garlic in large bowl ; mix well and pack in prepared pan.
3. Combine cottage cheese, ¼ cup mozzarella and remaining egg in small bowl ; spread over meat and top with the remaining tomato sauce and mozzarella.
4. Bake for 1 hour ; serve loaf directly from pan.

BON APPETIT

Meat Loaf with greens

     Here, mustard greens and spinach leaves lighten up the classic meat loaf. It's a tasty main course for an informal supper and it's a great option for picnics. Leftovers make the best sandwiches. The food processor shortcuts the preparation ; use it if you have one.
     Ground lean lamb can be substituted for the beef, if you prefer it.

Yield : 6 to 8 servings

• 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced, about 1½ tablespoons
• 4 large green onions, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
• 2 medium ribs celery, chopped, about 1 cup
• 1 packed cup each : spinach leaves, mustard greens, stems trimmed on both, leaves roughly cut
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1½ pounds lean ground beef
• 12 ounces breakfast sausage
• ¼ cup soft bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375F ; set aside a 9x13-inch baking pan.
2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat ; when hot, add the garlic, green onions, celery, spinach leaves, mustard greens, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
3. Cook until the celery is softened, about 6 minutes, stirring often ; transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, let it cool slightly.
4. Add the ground beef, sausage, bread crumbs, eggs, ¼ cup of the ketchup, the milk, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, red pepper flakes, the remaining salt, and the pepper to the bowl ; mix all ingredients thoroughly with  fork.
5. To test the seasoning, fry a small amount of the mixture ; adjust the seasoning
6. Mound the mixture in the reserved pan, use your hands to shape it into an 8x6-inch oval ; gently press to compact the loaf as much as possible.
7. Spread the loaf with the remaining ketchup ; bake until the loaf is well browned and sizzling, about 1 hour, 10 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and use a flexible spreader to smooth the ketchup coating.
9. To serve, the meat loaf can be hot, at room temperature, or chilled.

BON APPETIT

Milagro Meat Loaf

                     Almost any kitchen crime can be called a meat loaf, but our version is so good one legislator threatened it with a sin tax. We named it after the milagros, or miracle charms, sold outside major churches in Mexico, because the recipe transforms a mundane dish into a family heirloom.

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ cup minced onion
• ½ green or red bell pepper, chopped fine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
• 1¼ pounds lean ground beef
• ¾ pound ground pork
• 1½ cups dry bread crumbs
• ¼ cup tomato-based barbecue sauce
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg
• Milk, as needed
• Additional barbecue sauce, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet ; add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté until they are softened.
3. Stir in the black pepper, cayenne, salt, and cumin, and sauté an additional 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Spoon the vegetable mixture into a large bowl.
5. Add to the bowl the remaining ingredients, except the milk, and mix well with your hands.
6. The meat should feel quite moist but not soupy ; if it is too dry, add milk a tablespoon or two at a time until the consistency is right.
7. Mount the meat into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan ; bake the meat, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
8. Raise the oven temperature to 400F, and continue baking another 20 to 30 minutes.
9. If you wish, brush with an additional tablespoon or two of barbecue sauce in the last 10 minutes.
10. Serve the meat hot or cold ; the meat loaf makes great leftovers and sandwiches.

Variation : Milagro meat loaf makes a great filling for stuffed peppers. Cut the tops off red or green bell peppers, and remove the seeds. Spoon the uncooked meat loaf mixture loosely into the peppers. Place the peppers in a baking dish with a few tablespoons of stock or water. Bake 40 minutes at 350F, and about 10 minutes more at 400F. Baste with barbecue sauce in the last few minutes, or top with a sprinkling of grated cheddar cheese.

BON APPETIT

Le Homard Cardinal (Le guide culinaire Escoffier)

   Le Cardinal Mazarin qui veilla à l’éducation du jeune roi Louis XIV, a laissé dans la gastronomie son nom à une sauce dite « Cardinal ». Elle se compose de sauce Béchamel, de corail de homard, de crème et de pâte d’anchois. Elle peut aussi être relevée avec des champignons voire quelques copeaux de truffes pour ajouter davantage de parfum à la sauce.

Court-bouillon A, cliquez pour la recette

1. Plonger le homard, vivant, dans un court-bouillon A bouillant.
2. Aussitôt cuit, le fendre en deux dans la longueur ; retirer les chairs de la queue ; les escaloper et les tenir au chaud dans quelques cuillerées de sauce cardinal.
3. Détacher les pinces, et en retirer les chairs, par une large ouverture pratiquée au couteau, ou avec de forts ciseaux, sous les pinces, sans briser ou déformer celle-ci.
4. Couper en dés les chairs retirées, ainsi que celles qui se trouvent dans les coffres ; y ajouter le même poids de champignons cuits et moitié de ce poids de truffes, également coupés en dés ; lier ce salpicon avec quelques cuillerées de sauce homard.
5. Avec une partie de celui-ci, garnir les pinces vidées et étaler le reste, en couche bien égale, au fond de chaque demi-carapace de homard. Sur ce salpicon, dresser les escalopes de homard tenues au chaud, en les alternant de belles lames de truffe. Les deux demi-carapaces étant ainsi garnies, les poser sur un plat et, pour les maintenir d'aplomb, disposer les pinces de chaque côté.
6. Napper escalopes et pinces de sauce cardinal ; saupoudrer de fromage râpé ; arroser de beurre fondu et glacer vivement, à four vif, ou à la salamandre.

Sauce Cardinal
     Ajouter à trois quarts de litre de sauce Béchamel : 1 décilitre et demi de fumet de poisson et d'essence de truffe (moitié de chaque), réduits d'un quart ; 1 décilitre et demi de crème.
     Mettre à point, hors du feu, avec 100 grammes de beurre de homard, bien rouge, et relever d'une pointe de Cayenne.

En hommage à Auguste Escoffier