Not Your Average Meatloaf With Parsnip Puree & Root Cellar Slaw
Meatloaf Monday featuring silky parsnip puree, root cellar slaw, and not your average meatloaf. Perfect plate of winter comfort food loaded with grounding and earthy flavors.
I used to underestimate meatloaf, but maybe it’s because all I can just remember growing up is my parents mixing ground beef with a packet of onion dip powder, and smothering ketchup on top (no offense, mom and dad) — and that my friends was meatloaf.
That said, it’d been years since eating meatloaf and actually considering eating again — until my husband whipped up this meal for the first time last year. I’ll admit when he suggested making this dish, at first I cringed, worried I’d be disappointed with some dirty old bland meatloaf. We have some pretty high standards when it comes to eating, and eating well in this house, ha!
But oh my goodness, was I wrong. This dish made me appreciate meatloaf when done well, and I must say this is the ultimate winter comfort food because it is packed with fresh seasonal flavors including grounding veggies like carrots, cabbage, beets, and parsnips. The silky parsnip puree is a nice change up from the typical mashed potatoes. That nutty flavor and the texture is something that you can’t quite get from potatoes — this coming from someone who freaking loves mashed potatoes and potatoes in general. The root cellar slaw is also the perfect winter style slaw and a nice way to sneak in some beets which isn’t something I’d typically eat on their own, despite knowing how good they are for you.
While this dish may look complicated to whip up, I can promise you it’s not. It may not be your quick and simple 30 minute weeknight dinner, but it’s worth the little extra effort. You could even prepare the slaw ahead of time, which is what I put my husband in charge of doing.
Anyways, this mama has been craving red meat and it turns out I’m mildly anemic. So this meatloaf along with a cheeseburger I devoured the other night totally hit the spot.
The recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Lost Kitchen by Erin French, which I highly recommend, especially for classic New England style recipes. I reduced the recipe by 1/3 since it’s just my husband and I, and it held up for 2 weeknight dinners, plus a days worth of leftovers.
Not Your average meatloaf with parsnip puree & root cellar slaw
Serves: 6-8
Time to prep: 15 minutes
Time to cook: 45 minutes
MEATLOAF Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
3/4 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup shredded pecorino
2 cups 1/2 inch bread cubes, like crusty sourdough
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons salt
6-8 twists pepper
For the glaze:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
MEATLOAF Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine all of the meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl, and use your hands to mix together until evenly combined. Be careful not to overtax. Divide the mixture between two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
For the glaze, in a medium bowl, stir together all of the ingredients.
Brush the top of each meatloaf with a thick layer of the glaze.
Transfer to the oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees F, which will take approximately 45 minutes
Let the meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes, then unfold, cut into slices, and serve with the sides as desired.
rOOT CELLER SLAW Ingredients:
1 medium red beet, peeled and grated as matchsticks using mandolin. A box grater will work too, but the texture will come out different (you can see here I used a boxed grater this time)
1 medium Chioggia beet, peeled and grated as matchsticks using mandolin or box grater
4 large purple carrots (or regular), peeled and grated
1 small head purple cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds), finely sliced
Macerated shallot vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
Salt and pepper
Root cellar slaw Instructions:
For the vinaigrette, in a small bowl combine all ingredients together and mix well.
Combine the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with the shallot vinaigrette. Let the mixture sit for at least 15 minutes to infuse the flavors. Fold in the herbs and season with salt and pepper.
Parsnip puree ingredients (Serves 8):
3 pounds parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
Salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
Parsnip puree Instructions:
Place the parsnips in a medium sauce pan, add cold water to cover, and season with salt.
Bring to a boil and reduce the eat to a simmer.
Cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain the parsnips and transfer to a food processor or blender.
Add the butter and pulse until melted..
Pour in the cream and process until smooth.
Taste and adjust with salt as needed.