Meat Loaf with Creamy Onion Gravy

Meat Loaf:

1 tbsp canola oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large carrots, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs

4 large eggs

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Tabasco

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

3 pounds ground beef chuck

1 pound ground pork

½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes

Creamy Onion Gravy:

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 large (6 cups) white onions, thinly sliced

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1 cup heavy cream

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

For Meat Loaf: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a medium skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a very large bowl and let cool. Add the panko, eggs, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, 1 ½ tablespoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper, and stir to form a paste. Using your hands, work in the ground meats and cheese until combined. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper. Firmly pat the meat mixture into 2 loaves, about 10 inches long. Arrange the loaves 3 inches apart on the parchment and roast in the lower third of the oven for about 1 hour, until lightly browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaves registers 150ºF. Let the meat loaves rest for 15 minutes, then cut into thick slices and serve with the Creamy Onion Gravy. Serves: 12.

For Creamy Onion Gravy: In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the sliced white onions and stir to coat. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the onions are very soft but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and cook, whisking frequently, until the gravy is thickened, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer the onion gravy over moderate heat for about 5 minutes. Transfer the onion gravy to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. Return the onion gravy to the saucepan and simmer until it is reduced to 5 cups, about 5 minutes. Recipes makes 5 cups.