RECIPE: “The Intentional Meatloaf Sandwich”
When most people think of meatloaf sandwiches, they think of next-day leftover meatloaf haphazardly slapped between two slices of bread, sometimes with some cheese or ketchup. Tasty, but forgettable. Tonight, I looked at my overflowing AeroGarden basil and it hit me (Mary)… what if I elevated the traditional meatloaf sandwich for a fresh, easy, and delicious meal? This experiment was such a juicy flavorful success, I decided to write down what I did and immediately post it to our blog! We hope you like it!
Your Shopping List For This Meal:
1 pound of ground meat (we prefer a combination of beef, pork, and veal, but turkey or plain beef will be just as tasty)
1 egg
1/2 cup of plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Dry seasonings for the meatloaf: seasoning salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley (season to taste)
8 ounces of mozzarella cheese (or 4 thick slices of mozzarella or provolone cheese)
1/2 cup of olive oil (for cooking your meatloaf burgers in a skillet)
4 brioche burger buns
1/2 stick of salted butter
1 teaspoon of garlic powder (for garlic butter)
4 tablespoons of tomato paste
8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped or julienned
20 large leaves of fresh basil, or enough to cover the bottoms of each brioche bun
SERVINGS: 2 to 4
Preparation:
Thoroughly mix the ground meat, egg, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and dry seasonings. Divide the meatloaf mixture into 4 even balls and smash into rounded burger patties that are the width of your brioche buns. Pour your olive oil into a skillet/pan and fire your stove to medium, or just under. When your pan is hot, add your burgers. Flip the burgers when you notice the edges browning. Each side should be cooked approximately 4 to 5 minutes. In the last minute or so of cooking, add approximately two ounces of cheese on top of each meatloaf burger, turn the heat up to medium high, sprinkle in a few drops of water, and cover until the cheese is melted. Melt your butter in the microwave (this takes approximately 30 to 60 seconds) and mix in the teaspoon of garlic powder. Split your brioche buns. Brush the garlic butter mixture on to the inner sides of the brioche buns. Spread 1 tablespoon of tomato paste on to the inner bottom of each brioche bun. Next, cover the brioche bottoms with fresh basil, add the cheesy meatloaf burgers, and top with the sun-dried tomatoes! BUEN PROVECHO! <— (Spanish to English translation: enjoy your meal!)
