Comfort food should feel like a big hug. Warm and gooshy like a Disney film. Cloyingly sweet like the giggling female actresses on the original japanese Iron Chef, comparing bites of the most perfect food to kisses from teddy bears. Too obscure a reference?
For me and my other half (my husband, not my other personality), meatloaf is such a go to for an instant comforting classic. Accompanied by whipped potatoes and some sort of butter-touched frozen veg, it’s a taste of Americana with a dash of childhood and a smidge of old school TV dinner goodness. I typically make a saucy turkey version that would slay the greatest meatloaf critic. But tonight, in honor of our desert home, I feel that I must expand my traditions to fit my surroundings. Green chili and chorizo become the base of a flavorfully moist meatloaf. Potatoes are drizzled with a country gravy spiced with smoky chipotles. Though the flavor profile is novel and different, it still tugs at the same heart strings as the more traditional version.
Recipe for
Green Chile Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and Chipotle Cream Gravy
Ingredients
2 lbs. of ground beef
1 lb. of beef chorizo (fresh and removed from casings)
4 cl. of garlic, minced
3/4 c. of onions, finely chopped
2 tbs. of olive oil
1 1/2 c. of bread crumbs
4 eggs
1 tsp. of salt
21 oz. of roasted green chiles
2 tbs. of flour
1/2 tsp. of ground chipotle chile powder
1/4 tsp. of salt
1/4 tsp. of garlic powder
1/8 tsp. of white pepper
2 c. of milk
snipped chives for garnish
1 lb. of potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cl. of garlic
2 tbs. of butter
a couple tablespoons of milk
pinch of white pepper
salt to taste
Heat a skillet on medium high and add the olive oil and onions. Cook until translucent and allow to cool slightly.
Add the beef, chorizo, garlic, bread crumbs, sauteed onions, onions, salt and roasted chiles to the bowl of a standing mixer (or a large mixing bowl) and blend thoroughly. Pour out the ingredients into a 9×13 pan and pat gently to form an oval, slightly rounded loaf. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for an hour. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Salt well and add the potatoes and garlic. Cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and add back to the hot pot. Add the butter and mash with a potato masher. Add the milk in dribs and drabs until potatoes are chunkily mashed but smoother. Season with salt and white pepper. Cover to keep warm.
Carefully pour two tablespoons of the fat from the meatloaf pan into a sauce pan. Turn the heat on medium and whisk in the flour. Cook for a moment and then stream in the milk, whisking to keep smooth. Season with chili pepper, garlic powder, salt and white pepper. Once thickened, taste for seasoning.
Serve mashed potatoes with the chipotle cream gravy and slices of meatloaf. Add roasted corn and red peppers to the party for a little more fun.