Friday: Meatloaf
I think this was the first thing I ever made in my toaster oven here in Japan. I don't usually eat large slabs of meat, but meatloaf always brings back memories of my grandma's house and all of the comfort food she used to make for us. You can always slice the leftovers and make sandwiches from them if you like.The Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup (120 ml) ketchup
1/3 cup (75 g) brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
1 teaspoon (3 g) dry mustard
2 pounds (910 g) lean ground beef
3 slices bread, shredded
1 small diced onion
1 small green bell pepper, also diced
1 egg, beaten
1 cube beef bouillon, crumbled
3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
If you're using a regular oven (ha ha—fat chance!) preheat it to 175° C (350° F). Otherwise, hold off. Toaster ovens heat quickly but lose most of their heat when you open them. If you're one of those people with a fancy microwave that also bakes, I don't really know how to help you.
In a small bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine everything else, plus 1/3 cup (about 80 ml) of the ketchup mixture. Use should dive in and use your hands.
Once well-mixed, form this into a loaf shape. Like burgers, you shouldn't compress it too much or it'll be tough.
Put this into a greased loaf pan or high-lipped baking sheet.
Bake 1 hour at 175° C (350° F)
Wait! You're not done yet! Take the meatloaf out of the oven, Pour off the fat, and dump the remaining ketchup mixture over the top.
Bake 10 minutes more and it's ready to eat.
The Notes
Meatloaf is really flexible. All it really requires is a base (meat, usually, but you could make it out of TVP or some other protein source, I suppose), a filler (bread), seasonings, and a binding agent (the egg).
This recipe calls for a sweet glaze, which is kind of non-traditional. Most Americans glaze this with ketchup or gravy, depending on their family's way of doing it.
Never pour hot fat or grease straight down the drain! You'll need to pour it into a
heat-proof container and let it cool. Then, throw it out with your solid waste. There are also things you can buy here in Japan (a cellulose powder or something) that make grease clean-up easier-- but I just do it the ghetto way and use a coffee can.
The Resource
Your neighborhood, part II
So we've talked about finding recipes from friends and people around you. What about finding the actual ingredients? The nearest supermarket to my apartment is the vaguely antebellum-named “Mammy's.” They're kind of takai . . . and my kids confirm that only old ladies shop there.
But since I arrived, I've taken some time to poke around my town. Lo and behold, there's a former grocery store than now only sells fruits and veg right by my bank branch. They tend to have better deals on things, as well as a nice selection. Finally, one of my student's families run it, so I like the idea of supporting them. I usually swing by after I've made a withdrawal to buy a few things.
Especially since I hope it atones for my rampant use of the AEON supercenter in Higashiyoka. I found some backroads that get me there in about 15 minutes. I like to buy foreignish foods there between Costco trips. Oddly enough, cereal is less expensive at Mammy's, though.
Finally, A-PRICE (or is it A-LIST?) in Saga (from the eki, go south, turn left at the first intersection. It's on the right just before the Saga City BOE) is a cook's best friend. The Indonesian ladies that came to Turkey Day were singing its praises. It can be expensive (check out the crazy price of things like ice cream or cranberry juice) but it's good for a splurge. Also, they have some spices and herbs in bulk. So if, like me, you use a LOT of oregano, they can hook you up.
Most of you have probably already done this. But think of this as a friendly reminder to spend next week checking out that farmer's market (or whatever else) you've been hearing about.
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