Mustard Meat Loaf with Sautéed Mushrooms on Brioche Bread
For some of us, meat loaf sandwiches, spread with ketchup or mayonnaise, summon up fond memories. They were the treat, the "special of the day," in the lunch box we took to school. Nothing rivaled a mother's meat loaf sandwich. We've gone beyond the ketchup and mayonnaise here. We've placed the meat loaf, topped with sautéed cremini mushrooms, on brioche bread. Call it a grown-up meat loaf sandwich, if you like. It is a little different, but it still comforts right down to your toes.
Make the meat loaf 1 day ahead if you like. Then it is just a matter of quickly sautéing the mushrooms and assembling the sandwiches. All in all, not much to ask for all you get in return.
Ingredients
FOR THE MEAT LOAF
- 2 large eggs
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds of lean ground beef preferably sirloin
- ½ cup of dried unseasoned bread crumbs
- ½ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 6 tablespoons of grainy mustard
- 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
FOR THE MUSHROOMS
- 12 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms
- 4 shallots chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 slices of brioche bread
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- To make the meat loaf: Beat the eggs. Peel, trim, and finely dice the onion. Peel, trim, and mince the garlic.
- In a small skillet, sauté the onion in the olive oil, over medium heat, stirring, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté it, stirring, until cooked but not brown.
- Put the onion and garlic in a large bowl, and add all the remaining meat loaf ingredients, mixing well with your fingers. Place in a 9-inch loaf pan, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes longer to brown. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, if desired.
- Make the sautéed mushrooms: Rinse the mushrooms, cut off the stem ends, and thinly slice, top to bottom.
- In a large skillet, sauté the shallots and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat, stirring, until the shallots are translucent. Add the wine and let it cook until almost evaporated. Add the mushrooms and salt and pepper, and sauté about 10 minutes, or until softened but not dry. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
- In the meantime, unmold the meat loaf and cut into 12 slices.
- To make sandwiches: Place 2 slices of meat loaf on each of 6 of the brioche slices. Spoon some of the sautéed mushrooms over the meat loaf, cover with a remaining slice of bread, and cut each sandwich in half.